Love Me Not
by Sky-eyed Kitsune
Summary: Sasuke had no idea that nailing the spot for the writer of G!amor:us Magazine and the Beneath the Stars column would lead into falling for the hottest young actor and model in Japan! sasunaru, kibanaru
1. Glamorous

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

**2nd Disclaimer: The songs and lyrics mention in this fic do not belong to me! Nu-uh! The songs in this chapter are: "Glamorous" by Fergie ft. Ludacris **

**

* * *

**

Sky-eyed Kitsune: Neeeeeeewww Stooooorrryyy! Ok, it may take longer to update since my ongoing stories that are in full swing are my top writing priorities at the moment. (My readers are threatening and bribing me for the next chapters right after I put out new ones. O.o)

* * *

Story Summary: At the ripe age of twenty-one years old, Naruto Uzumaki is a famous young actor and model taking Japan by storm. Rich, talented, and oh so gorgeous, he's on top of the world. He's got it all. Well, except a normal life.

**Enter twenty-two year-old Uchiha Sasuke working on his writing major in the prestigious Konoha University. To further his writing carrer, Sasuke applies for a job with G!amor:us magazine, number one seller in Tokyo…and nails the spot as the new photographer and writer for the "Beneath the Stars" column! As the noob he's treated like mud on a slug, but at least the pay is good and it gets good marks on his resume.**

**When Sasuke gets his first stout commission, he takes it gladly, in turn meeting _the_ Naruto Uzumaki. What started as just getting to know the star for his job escalates into a more intimate friendship, Sasuke finds himself falling for Japan's hottest actor. Meanwhile Naruto is defending himself from the rabid paparazzi, crazed fangirls, and the hungry media!**

**There's more drama off stage than anywhere!**

**

* * *

**

WARNINGS: Rated M for smoking, drinking, cursing, and sexual content. AS IN LEMONS LATER. NO LIKIE, NO READIE.

* * *

**Chapter One: Glamorous**

"_If you ain't got no money take your broke ass home!"_

A blonde shifted his sunglasses up to shield his dazzling sky-blue eyes from the sun's unworthy gaze.

"_G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S, yea."_

He crossed his black clad legs, crinkling his too-expensive-for-words designer jeans purposely ripped at the knees. They hung comfortably around his hips, a silver chain dangling from the left side of the hem.

"_G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S, yea."_

He rested his chin on a gorgeous naturally tanned hand, the color stretching out over his skin like liquid gold.

"_We're flyin' first class up in the sky. Poppin' champagne, livin' my life in the fast lane, and I won't change. By the glamorous, oh the flossy flossy."_

Soft pink lips rested against each other in a relaxed impassive state.

"_By the glamorous, the glamorous, glamorous."_

A dark orange long-sleeved shirt with a black spiral on the right breast flexed over lithe but not overly muscled arms and outlined the man's slender frame. Over this he wore a black open trench coat to brush off the cold winter chill.

Sun-kissed locks brushed against the form fitting cotton clad shoulders, illuminating dark whisker-like scars on each sun-bathed cheek.

"_By the glamorous, oh the flossy flossy."_

"Iruka, could you please turn off that crap?" the man asked, his voice higher than normal but smoothed over by a bit of throaty roughness.

"Hai! Gomenasai Naruto-sama," the limo driver said, pushing a button on the radio.

"Thanks," the man named Naruto sighed, throwing his head into his hands and rubbing his temples.

"Naruto-sama, daijobou desu ka?" Iruka said, looking into his review mirror.

"It's nothing," Naruto said, then grinned. "I thought I told you already; it's just Naruto."

"G-gomen!"

"And didn't I tell you to stop saying sorry?"

"G-erm…hai Naruto."

"You've known me since I was adopted by Jiraiya when I was twelve Iruka. You'd think that you'd be more casual around me."

"True," Iruka said as he turned a corner. "But you're not just the troublesome little blonde you used to be." Iruka paused. "Most of the time that is."

"Hey!" Naruto said indignantly, and Iruka laughed a bit.

* * *

Tsunade slammed her hands down on the desk, spilling coffee off onto the expensive royal blue carpet of her office.

"UCHIHA!"

About ten seconds later the door to the large breasted woman's office opened, and a man with jet black hair spiked at the back walked in. His dark onyx eyes contrasted against his pale skin beautifully, his worn but tight blue jeans and navy button-up matching the detached expression on his face perfectly and outlining his strong but slim figure.

The bastard emo heartthrob of the office.

"You hollered?" he said, shoving his hands into his pockets and raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"This is your first big exposé Uchiha," Tsunade said firmly. "You pull this off and that big fat writer's check you've always dreamed about will be coming your way. More importantly, this will make G!amor:us an even bigger hit, selling and spreading like a wildfire."

"I vaguely remember you giving this assignment to Sakura-san," Sasuke said, his interest only slightly peaked.

"Fired."

"…what?"

"Fired," the blonde pony-tailed woman repeated. "That giggly pink lollipop can't handle interviews with A-class like this."

Ok, NOW Sasuke was interested. Anyone who helped to fire Sakura was worth attention in his books.

"So, who is this important celebrity?"

Tsunade smirked.

"Actually, he's about your age, a little under a year younger. He's taking Japan's acting roles and modeling agencies by storm. Perhaps you've heard of Uzumaki Naruto?"

Sasuke almost scoffed.

Of course he knew who Uzumaki Naruto was! Who didn't? He was that freaking gorgeous blonde actor and model! He was popping up everywhere; movies, interviews, paparazzi news, and of course model clothing line magazines. As good looking as he was though, Sasuke wasn't swayed by his outer appearance. Every interviewer to probe the blonde directly about his interests, dislikes, or even just his favorite song was promptly turned down. No one knew anything about the man save for his amazing acting skills, gorgeous looks, and the ability to make the color orange stylish on anything he wore.

"Hn," Sasuke finally replied.

"Good," Tsunade said. "The interview is tomorrow morning at 9:30am. Your photographer will be Aburame-san. Do you except the job?"

Hmm, let's see. Being virtually trapped in the same room as the most famous and gorgeous blonde enigma in Japan while letting loose a string of personal questions without restrictions or consequences?

Wow, that took A LOT of thought.

"Hn," Sasuke replied again. He didn't know whether or not the fame had gotten to the blonde and he had turned into an egotistical bastard high on the steady stream of prepaid illegal drugs like every other celebrity, but it was definitely worth knowing.

"How did you get a personal interview with Uzumaki-san?" Sasuke asked.

"His manager and I go back," Tsunade grinned. "That man knows better than to turn me down if he doesn't want to wake up breathing through a tube for the rest of his life."

Sasuke shivered a bit, remembering his boss's crazy strength when she had karate chopped the meeting table in a spurt of intense anger.

"Moving on," Tsunade continued. "You will be expected to wear formal attire which I anticipate that you own. You'll be meeting him at Sungakure Modeling Studios in room 118. His agenda is too full to schedule a private meeting at any other time, so it'll only be a quick thirty minute meeting. Remember you manners Uchiha. That temper and arrogant attitude will come back to bite you in the form of a pink slip if you don't behave yourself."

"Tch," Sasuke said, crossing his arms.

* * *

Naruto tapped his tanned hands on the table in front of him where a man in his late fifties sat. His hair was long and spiky and two red tattoos were beneath his eyes that bled down his cheeks. He was a large man, tall will muscled arms and a bit of a belly spilling slightly over his red belt. He jabbered on the phone, holding a sake bottle in one hand, sloshing it this way and that as he flapped his lips.

Naruto sighed, stretching out his arms behind his head and propping his feet up on the man's desk. He looked at the ceiling through his sharp black sunglasses as if daring it to argue with his blatant lethargy.

"Nah, nah, he's got a shoot tomorrow," the man said, taking a swig of his sake. He paused and idly nodded his head to the voice on the other end, making grunts of approval.

"Wednesday? Fine."

The man slapped his phone down on the receiver and looked at the superstar in front of him.

"Naruto," he said. Naruto didn't even look at the man, who sighed in response.

"I'm sorry I booked you so full tomorrow," he said. "I know you're mad, but you'll thank me!"

Naruto angled his head down, his sunglasses sliding down his nose just enough to reveal a slit of his blue gaze.

"Jiraiya, I don't want to go to that awards ceremony," he hissed, quietly simmering where he sat. "I'm going to miss Kiba's match against Otonin. I promised him I'd make it…"

"Ah, so what? You miss a college soccer game! You're the young actor of the year! You _have_ to be there! That brown fuzzie knows how busy you are. Oh! Speaking of which, remember that thirty minute gap you have after your shoot tomorrow?"

Naruto flipped off his sunglasses and glared at Jiraiya.

"Right," Jiraiya said lamely. "Well, you have an interview with G!amor:us Magazine."

Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Are you serious? An interview? You never let me do interviews! Wait…you were threatened, weren't you?"

"She's my old college friend. She's got a right hook that could send the grim reaper spiraling…" Jiraiya rubbed his jaw absentmindedly as if it was sore.

"Whatever," Naruto said, then grinned. "An interview! Finally, people get to know me!"

"Heh…sure…" Jiraiya laughed uneasily. Naruto didn't notice as he became star-struck with the thought of his interview.

Jiraiya pulled back his sleeve and gave his watch a quick flick of the eyes.

"Whoops! Five o'clock! You've got dinner reservations with the manager of Takyuki Productions for that new part in the movie 'Crimson Eyes'!"

Naruto rolled his eyes.

* * *

Sasuke revved his black 2008 yamaha motorcycle impatiently as he sat at the longest light in the city, a bright red explorer in front of him pounding rap music.

Sasuke sighed.

It's not like he had anywhere to go. He was just an impatient person.

The light finally flicked green and Sasuke took off, barely suppressing the urge to flip off the red explorer.

He arrived at his apartment five minutes later. He opened the door, locking it and stripping himself of his black cloak-like jacket and collapsing onto his brown leather couch. His apartment was clean with a small kitchen, den, bathroom, guest room and master bedroom. It was a nice home, easy to take care of and cozy.

Sasuke stretched out his lithe form like a cat, sprawling over the cushions and flipped on the TV.

"_-to be played by Uzumaki Naruto."_

Sasuke raised an eyebrow as he watched the women with black hair tied up in two buns talk into a microphone as stars walked down a red carpet, fans cheering on the sidelines.

Sasuke turned up the volume.

"_Is it true? Hai! Japan's beloved Uzumaki Naruto has stolen the part for the protagonist in the upcoming tragedy film, 'Crimson Eyes'! He plays the part of a man named Yuki Ryozuka. Yuki is the son of a king in an arranged marriage when he falls in love with a common thief named Namida Sohma who not only steals his family's rare jeweled crest, but his own heart. Yuki will have to choose in the end if his love for Namida is greater than his loyalty to his kingdom and his father. Namida is to be played by Yamanaka Ino, a young actor hoping to make it to stardom with Uzumaki-sama as her partner."_

Sasuke's eyes bugged out of his head when the TV flashed a clip of Naruto trying out for the movie part.

He read his lines so smoothly and with such fluidity that Sasuke believed him to be a real prince. His hand gestures were perfect, his hair swaying with his body and brushing over his crushed aquamarine eyes every so often. His whisker-like black scars were illuminated by his golden tan, making his body look ethereal in the light.

Sasuke thought he was watching a god reincarnated.

"_Uzumaki-sama is, at the young age of twenty-one, already Japan's number one actor, stealing the hearts of critics worldwide with his bright blue eyes and astonishing performances on stage. Tomorrow he'll be proudly accepting the Young Actor of the Year award, coveted by many and gained by few. Wait! Here he comes!"_

Sasuke leaned forward more as the camera swiveled hurriedly to the left as a limo pulled up. The door opened, and Sasuke's breath caught in his throat as the beautiful blonde stepped out. He handed his black cloak to one of the two bodyguards that flagged either of his sides, and his orange shirt accented the dip his discreet muscles made in his chest, his tight black jeans outlining his slim form. Sasuke noted that he was a bit shorter than most males.

The fans screamed like crazy, many fanatical girls holding up "We Luv Naru" posters and confessing their undying love for him. Naruto flashed them all brilliant smiles, expertly ignoring the cameras flashing at him every two seconds.

He shook some lucky hands, to which the owners of said limbs fainted, and scribbled his autograph on some magazine fashion shoots of him.

Sasuke suddenly wished he could be in that crowd.

"_Uzumaki-sama!"_ the reporter said, hurriedly walking over to the man before he walked in the huge building the carpet fed into.

Sasuke leaned forward more as Naruto turned around and he became thoroughly lost in his eyes.

"_Hai?"_

Oh gods, his voice was smooth but higher with a hint of utterly sexy throaty roughness. The reporter seemed to drool a bit before snapping herself back to reality.

"_So, Uzumaki-sama-"_

"_Naruto,"_ Naruto corrected, flashing a heart-melting smile that made the girls (and guys) in the crowd squeal and croon in delight.

"_H-hai!"_ the reporter stuttered as he face turned scarlet. _"How long have you been acting Naruto-sama? Before you made your way to the A-list?""_

"_Well, I acted all through high school, but that doesn't really count,"_ Naruto laughed, a symphony of angels. _"After graduating, I acted for three years to the point of where I am now."_

"_Sugoi! It's amazing that in those short three years you were able to come out on top of the A-list as Japan's hottest actor and model, ne?"_

"_Un. It's really a dream come true!"_

"_Naruto-sama, are you excited to work with Yamanaka-san in your next upcoming movie?"_

Sasuke took note of Naruto's hesitation and the uncomfortable flash of emotion on his face.

"_Ino-san is very nice, but on set she can be typically…high strung. She has good potential as an actor, but her temper might get her into a mess. You can't throw a fit at everyone director and get away with it!"_

Sasuke smirked. The blonde wasn't brainwashed by his fame after all!

"_Ano sa…..you are so amazing Naruto-sama!!"_ the reported exclaimed, her eyes going glassy. _"You're such an inspiration! And though only twenty-one, you have so much wisdom to offer in your field!"_

"_A-arigatou,"_ Naruto said, smiling nervously as he held up his hands in front of him, creating an imaginary wall separating himself from the ecstatic googly-eyed reporter.

Suddenly his bodyguards flagged his sides again, and Sasuke got a better look at them.

One was chubby but muscular with long spiky brown hair and two red spiral tattoos on each of his cheeks. The other was tall with his black hair pulled back into a sharp ponytail spiked profusely at the end. Each of his ears were pierced, and he wore a look that said he'd rather be anywhere but there. They both wore matching black suits with navy ties and sunglasses.

The thinner one gave Naruto a look, and Naruto pouted (Sasuke melted) but nodded.

"_Gomen,"_ he said to the reporter. _"I must be going inside now. Ja ne!"_ With that Naruto quickly shook her hand and retreated inside the huge building with his bodyguards.

"Oof!"

Sasuke spilled forward off the couch as he leaned in more to watch the beautiful blonde disappear into the building, the cell phone on the coffee table in front of him dropping on his head with a painful plunk.

**

* * *

**

Yay! I dunno when I'll update this cause I have five other fics going on, so I apologize ahead of time. Gomen!

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	2. Daily Chaos

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None! **

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Next chappie, yatta! XD**

**Gomi-kun: This is so draining at least three hours out of my life per day. -.-**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: So I'm torturing you, bla bla bla, that's nothing new. ;3 Yay! Christmas is almost here! And that means…a long break to write shouene-ainess!!! Muhahahaha!**

**Gomi-kun: --faints--**

* * *

**Reviewer Replies (Cause I'm not using the button anymore, lol)**

**To makebelievegirl, akume, CloudyEros, cluelessninja65: Arigatou!**

**To VoSpader: Thanks! Japanese is my native language, but Gomi-kun is translating everything, so if you see a typo or mistranslation, BLAME HIM!!! Hehe, I have also done a high school fic, lol!**

**To blusum: Well the first meeting is indeed here, but the real introductions are in the next chappie. ;)**

**To GiantFlyingSquirrel: Yosh! I hope this is fast enough for you. Gomen! I'm currently trying to keep up with five other ongoing fanfics! (I'll get an update schedule for them out soon…)**

**To xNeTsUx: Thank you for being patient. Oh how the world NEEDS more patient people! T.T**

**To Catat: Ah! Arigatou, I will:D**

**To shadowphoenix143: Arigatou! Wonderful to see familiar screen names! Wow, you've reviewed like every one of my stories, haven't you? O.o Yay! Just for all people who are confuzzled, YES, NARUTO IS HOT AND SMEXY LIKE SASUKE, BUT HE IS NOT, REPEAT, _NOT_ SEME IN THIS FIC! HE IS UKE! UUUUUKKKKEEEE! Also, Sasuke may seem to have a fluffy attitude towards Naruto's looks, but no way did I soften him up! He's alive and bitchin'!**

**To aloukou101: Arigatou! Lol, are there a lot of good stories? I haven't been reading lately. O.o**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Two: Daily Chaos**

Naruto sighed and buried his head deeply into his orange pillow, pulling up the black silk covers around his gorgeous half naked body.

"GOOOOOD MORNING!" Jiraiya suddenly boomed as he burst into the room, slamming open the door to the superstar's room with a coffee mug in one hand.

Naruto groaned in response and pulled up the covers more until only a frazzled mess of blonde hair was poking out.

"C'mon now Naruto!" Jiraiya said boisterously, walking up to the bed and stripping it of the covers with a swift flick of his hand. Naruto shivered and curled up more, hugging his pillow.

"Get pumped for that spring model shoot Naruto!" Jiraiya laughed. A moment later an orange pillow was flung in his face.

"Urusai," Naruto hissed, sitting up into a crossed-leg position in his black boxers. He yawned and stretched out.

CLANG!

Naruto stopped mid-yawn as the large circular window across from his bed beside his bookshelf revealed at least twenty photographers and the paparazzi.

Naruto's pupils shrunk as the bright lights from the cameras flashed until he saw spots.

He sat there, dumbstruck. The paparazzi had only ever tried jumping him like this when he was _outside_ his house. Not freaking inside wearing nothing but his boxers!

The press was gonna have a hell of a field day.

Naruto opened his mouth to say something, completely frozen as the cameras pressed up against the glass. He willed his voice to work but nothing with the exception of a squeak came out.

Jiraiya turned around when he didn't hear Naruto complaining about his wake up call, sipping his coffee. He spit it out all over the dark blue carpet when he saw the persistent cameras.

"OUT! OUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUT!!!" he screamed, making shooing motions with his hands as if they were a flock of annoying crows. He approached the window like a dragon ready to melt their skin off, and they all dispersed. Jiraiya grabbed the curtains and flung them over the window, pulling down the blinds as well.

"There goes my dignity," Naruto sighed, falling back onto his plush bed.

"Oh no it's not!" Jiraiya said angrily. He whipped out his cell phone and pressed a button furiously.

"Nara, Akamichi, I need you to take care of some paparazzi cameras for me," he said into the phone. "Yea. One minute ago by the window. Mmhmm. Gotcha. Get to work."

Jiraiya shut the phone and attached it to his belt buckle, grinning widely at the famous blonde.

"See? Nothin' to worry about!" he said confidently. "Now then, get up! You have a modeling shoot in one hour!"

Naruto sat up yet again as Jiraiya left his room. He glanced at the clock on his bedside.

6:30 am.

What an exciting start to his day.

* * *

Sasuke hugged his pillow close under his navy sheets, slowly peeling open one eye to see the neon lights of the digital clock beside him.

8:30 am.

How good it felt to sleep in (somewhat) late for once.

Sasuke sat up in bed and stretched out, his covers slipping off his bare toned chest, milky and smooth.

His eyes suddenly flashed with remembrance as golden locks and blue eyes came to his mind. He smiled as he sat up.

His interview with Uzumaki Naruto was in one hour. It was only a thirty minute interview, but Sasuke was going to make the best of it.

* * *

"NARUTO, YOU DISPLAY SUCH YOUTH THAT I CAN HARDLY KEEP FROM SHOUTING!"

Naruto rolled his eyes at the model director in front of him clad in bright green clothes with a bowel cut and humongous caterpillar eyebrows.

"You _are_ shouting," Naruto said. He was in a pissy mood and didn't feel like dealing with Gai at the moment.

"NARUTO-SAMA!"

Or his prodigy Rock Lee.

Naruto held his breath as he felt strong arms wrap around him and swung him around.

"NARUTO-SAMA! I HAVE MISSED YOU SINCE THE LAST SUNSET THAT WE DID NOT SHARE TOGETHER!"

Naruto choked and kicked his feet out, his hands effectively restrained by Lee's crushing hug.

"S-Shika…" Naruto gasped. Suddenly he was released and collapsed into puddle on the floor as Shikamaru and Chouji grabbed both of Lee's arms.

Lee chuckled and sweat-dropped as Naruto stood back up, wobbling.

"Gomenasai Naruto-sama," Lee said as Shikamaru moved to help up the superstar. "Please let me make it up to you with a date!!!"

"Iie Lee," Naruto said, dusting himself off. "Daijoubu."

"PLEASE NARUTO-SAMA! ONE DATE!"

Naruto shot Lee a warning glare. "I said no," he told the brunette, who slouched where he stood.

There was some clapping from the other end of the room as a man one year older than Naruto with blood red hair and the tattoo kanji for ai on his forehead.

"Alright minna-san," he said, crossing his arms. "Let's wrap up. Naruto-sama has an interview to get to right after this."

"HAI!" Gai said.

"H-hai…" Lee said, heartbroken from being shot down for the millionth time by the gorgeous blonde.

"Arigatou Gaara-san," Naruto said, and Gaara nodded to him.

Gaara was the owner of the Sungakure modeling company with his older brother and sister also working in the industry.

"All right Naurto-sama! Time for a youthful change of clothes!" Gai said, holding up something on a hanger. Naruto rolled his eyes as he swiped the clothing and went behind the dressing screen.

* * *

Sasuke pulled his motorcycle up to the studio at 9:20am, early just in case Naruto was an impatient star that liked to get things done quickly.

Sasuke went into the building and headed to the elevator, pressing one of the top buttons.

A second later he was walking down a black tiled hall with deep red wallpaper positively reeking of expensiveness.

Sasuke flipped out his phone and dialed a number. He held it to his ear.

"_Hn?"_

"Where are you Shino?" Sasuke asked a bit harshly to the photographer.

"_I'm stuck in traffic. Start without me,"_ the man on the other side said, and the line disconnected. Sasuke sighed and pocketed his phone.

He stopped in front of room 118, and not wanting to seem unimportant, swung the doors open.

* * *

"YES! NARUTO-SAMA, YOU ARE SO VERY PERFECT TODAY!" Gai shouted as Lee snapped the camera away at the superstar.

Naruto was clad in black jeans purposely ripped at the bottom that hung low around his waist, letting a small line of blonde hair show in the libido area when he stretched out, his lithe form rippling under the golden silk shirt he wore half-unbuttoned. His chest was smooth and beautiful, and his hair fell in calm spikes around his face, illuminating his whisker like scars and making his blue eyes sparkle mysteriously. The shirt blended with his skin, making him look almost godly when he moved. He smiled and Lee almost had a heart attack.

"Ok, floor now if you please Naruto-sama!" Gai said. Naruto dropped to the floor and Lee stood over him with the camera, Gai flagging his left side.

"Alright, work your magic!" Gai said, pumping a fist into the air.

Naruto sprawled out his body, lifting his chest up a bit to reveal soft skin previously covered by his shirt at his lower torso. He raised his arms to lie above his head, twining one finger in his golden locks that spilled over the mahogany floor. He tilted his head to the side, exposing his sun-kissed neck and staring at the camera with half-lidded sky blue eyes and a sexy smirk on his face.

Lee snapped the camera like crazy, Gai spouting something about "best issue ever" and some other crap.

Out to the corner Shikamaru stiffened and held a tissue to his bleeding nose. Chouji snickered at his friend, himself swinging completely the other way. But then again Naruto could turn the straightest man gay.

Gaara mentally noted to raise Naruto's pay. He still had his arms crossed, watching his star model show of the spring line of clothes with the expertise and grace one could only dream of having. Gaara was like a brother to the blonde, talking about his life that didn't revolve around work and just relaxing in the lounge with some coffee when he could spare a minute after modeling. (Literally a minute since Jiraiya kept him on such a tight-ass schedule…)

Gaara knew that Naruto didn't like modeling, even if he was damn well good at it. Sungakure's income had never been greater thanks to the blonde, but Naruto in reality was shy, and showing off his body in such a way made him feel unnerved. He still refused to show a boxer line, though he would strip his shirt for modeling jeans.

Naruto was trying his best to preserve himself from the unwanted limelight, but with his job it was hard.

The doors suddenly burst open. Gaara turned his head, a vein throbbing on his forehead, and Shikamaru and Chouji moved into a defensive stance. Naruto looked over to the door while Gai and Lee kept on snapping the camera and speaking some random gibberish.

Naruto's eyes widened a bit as he lost himself to a black sea.

* * *

Sasuke's breath hitched in his throat when those sky blue eyes met his own and engulfed him completely.

The gorgeous blonde on the photography stage sat up, his gaze never disconnecting with Sasuke's.

* * *

Gai let out a (manly) squeal.

"NARUTOOO-SAMA!" he cried, tears pouring from his face like a faucet. "YOU HAVE FINALLY GIVEN US THE LOOK OF LOVE!"

"L-love?" Naruto said, not looking at Gai. Gai nodded vigorously nonetheless.

"IT IS WRITTEN ALL OVER YOUR FACE! I HAVE TOLD YOU SOOO MANY TIMES TO INVISION YOURSELF IN LOVE DURING ONE OF THESE SHOOTS TO MAKE IT PERFECT, AND NOW YOU HAVE!!!"

Gai suddenly hit the floor, out cold. Lee kept flashing the camera though as Naruto stood up, still staring at the handsome raven across the room.

* * *

Sasuke was captivated. Naruto's presence was like a breath of fresh air, and his eyes sent a feeling of warmth through his body, comforting like never before.

* * *

"Naruto-sama! I wish to date you now more than ever!!!" Lee shouted, pumping his fist into the air as sparkles and ocean waves suddenly appeared behind him.

Naruto blinked.

The doors suddenly slammed open again, and before Naruto had a chance to let out an "eep!", cameras and the paparazzi swarmed in like moths to a flame, engulfing Naruto in the mess of cameras and microphones.

"Naruto-sama! Is it true that you're considering leaving 'Crimson Eyes'?"

"Naruto-sama! Over here! Are the rumors that you're signing a million dollar contract with Sungakure Studios accurate?"

"Naruto-sama! Boxers or briefs!?"

Naruto backed up to the corner of the wall and covered his eyes with his hands as he was prodded with questions and the bright flashes from the cameras blinded him.

Shikamaru and Chouji hurried to the scene, quickly defending Naruto from the bloodthirsty media.

The cameras swiveled this way and that, still flashing as questions continued to be delivered in rapid fire. Naruto was remained cornered even with his bodyguards like golden fox backed up against a tree.

* * *

Sasuke blinked.

What right did all of them have barging in like this!?

Sasuke narrowed his eyes as the looked at the frightened kitsune in the corner, and he discreetly walked into the crowd.

* * *

"OUT. ALL OF YOU OUT NOW!"

The paparazzi flicked their gaze over to the cold voice to see Gaara glaring at them right behind their backs. They immediately let loose a string of questions and flashed their cameras, not moving from their spots to keep Naruto boxed in.

* * *

Sasuke got down on all fours and crawled through the crowd, choking on a dust bunny now and then. He moved a hand forward when a camera man stepped on it, and his eyes bugged out of his head and he bit his lip as he suppressed a yelp.

Nevertheless, he shook his head and edged forward.

He had a mission!

* * *

Naruto let out a squeak as he felt a hand tug him down to the floor and he once again became lost in an onyx sea.

"Y-y-y-you!" Naruto hissed, suddenly flaring despite the beautiful man in front of him. "You brought all of these guys in here, didn't you!? Shikama- mmf!"

Naruto's plea for help came out as a muffled mess as the handsome man clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Urusai!" he said. "I didn't let any of these stalkers in! My name is Sasuke and I'm NOT a media freak!"

Sasuke removed his hand and Naruto glared at him.

"Tch," the blonde said. "Prove it teme!"

"Dobe!" Sasuke said, and Naruto raised an eyebrow. No reporter, if they ever even wanted to get one word out of Naruto, would EVER insult him.

This was definitely no paparazzi agent.

As the cameras swiveled to adjust to Gaara while keeping Naruto boxed in, Naruto felt the space around him becoming claustrophobic.

Before he could even think, he clung to the nearest thing…which happened in this case to be Sasuke.

* * *

Sasuke gasped as he found himself with a bundle of gold, and he looked down to see Naruto gripping him tightly.

Sasuke's mind went to overdrive as the crisp smell of the fall leaves and wind reached his nose, and he closed his eyes.

"Dozo…" (Please)

Sasuke's eyes shot open and he looked down to the male star in his arms. He stared back at Sasuke with weak half-lidded eyes.

"…dozo……"

Sasuke gasped as Naruto closed his eyes and fell back, and he reached out and grabbed his wrist, pulling the other man to him.

"H-hey!" Sasuke said, shaking the blonde's shoulder. Naruto didn't respond, totally out cold.

Sasuke looked around frantically for help, but the paparazzi continued to box them both in as the superstar's black clad security guarded him.

Sasuke gave himself a mental slap.

He was an Uchiha, dammit! He could do this!

Sasuke hoisted Naruto into his arms more, his scent completely engulfing him, and he felt the blood rise to his cheeks.

"I better get a medal for this," he grumbled, and got on his knees.

Inch by inch like a snail, Sasuke walked through the forest of legs with the blonde actor in his arms, carefully making sure he didn't bump into anyone. Sasuke looked around for an exit, when his eyes suddenly met the jade pair of what he assumed to be Sungakure's owner. He froze for a moment, and the redhead nodded to his left.

Sasuke looked to his upper left and saw a door labeled "Model's Lounge".

He nodded back to the owner before crawling forward and ducking into the room.

* * *

Sasuke tumbled into the lounge with the blonde, slamming his back against the door quickly and shutting out the noise.

"What the hell!?"

Sasuke looked up to see two men the same age as himself looking at him like he had just grown a second head.

One wore simple brown jeans with a white button-up shirt. His russet hair fell loose and long over his shoulders, his eyes a disarming pearl gaze.

The other had short black hair with a black belly tank top and long black leather pants. He blinked his coal eyes at Sasuke, mouth a bit agape.

"Naruto!" they both suddenly said in unison, taking the star from Sasuke and placing him on the cushy leather sofa in the room.

Sasuke took a brief look around.

In front of the couch was an modern abstract art coffee table with a few magazines and a Starbucks© cup on its smooth chestnut surface, a plasma screen TV on the cream painted wall in front of it. To the back was a small self-serve bar and a few other chairs here and there. Model pictures hung on the wall, one Sasuke noticed, of Naruto posing for a pair of jeans, chains on both sides with a knees ripped. He was topless in the picture, revealing his firm and toned chest, smooth and golden. Over his collar hung a blue crystal necklace, the corner of which he had nipped in his mouth and hung from his pearly white teeth that brought out his sky blue gaze.

Sasuke swallowed.

"Shit! Naruto-kun!"

Sasuke shook his head and looked back to the other two men, who he assumed were models, fussing over the unconscious blonde.

"He's out cold," he black-eyed one said.

The other brunette leaned down and placed the back of his hand over the blonde's forehead, and Sasuke felt jealousy rise up inside of him.

"At least he doesn't have a fever like last time," the brown-haired model said, and they both stood back up, looking a bit calmer.

Suddenly their eyes zeroed in on Sasuke, and they had him cornered in a millisecond.

"You! Get your paparazzi ass out of here! Leave Naruto-sama alone!" the belly-shirt one said, balling his hand into a fist.

"Hn," Sasuke sneered. "This is the thanks I get for saving the blonde dobe?"

"What!?" the other model said, flaring. "Don't ever call Naruto-kun a-…..you saved him?"

"Hn," Sasuke said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "That redhead outside the door being hammered by the paparazzi nodded for me to take Naruto in here."

"Don't call him that like you know him!" the coal-eyed one said.

"Like you know him any better. No one does baka."

"Why you!"

The other brunette slapped a hand to his face as Sasuke and the belly-shirt model started to argue loudly

"Where is Jiraiya-san when you need him?" he grumbled.

* * *

Gaara flicked his eyes from camera to camera as he nodded and answered questions briefly.

He wasn't sure how much more of this prodding he could take, but if he went berserk it would raid the front page of Tokyo Pop News.

And could he really trust that black-haired man with Naruto? Well, at least they had gone into the lounge like Gaara had hoped. Neji and Sai were taking a break in there and would protect Naruto. (And hopefully not do anything else…)

BANG!

Gaara whipped around and the cameras swiveled towards the door that had just been brutally slammed open.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!?" Jiraiya bellowed, practically shaking the whole building.

The paparazzi made a beeline for him as Gaara blinked, half shocked to death.

"Back up! I can sue all your asses for busting in here during a shoot!" Jiraiya shouted, his nostrils flaring and eyes burning. Gaara raised an eyebrow as he practically saw steam emit from Jiraiya's ears.

"OUT! OUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUT! DAMMIT, OUT! BEFORE I SUE YOU ALL TO TIMBUCKTOO UNTIL YOU'RE ON THE SIDEWALK LIVING IN A CARDBOARD BOX!"

The room emptied out in a matter of five seconds.

Gaara blinked again, then collapsed.

"Gaara, you ok?" Jiraiya asked, walking up to the young company owner and extending a hand.

Gaara slowly nodded, taking the hand gratefully and standing up.

"Ayame!" Gaara said, and a blonde woman appeared by the redhead in a flash.

"Hai Gaara-sama?" she said.

"Get me an aspirin and some water."

"Hai!"

Gaara rubbed his temples.

"Arigatou Jiraiya-san," he said. "If you hadn't come I think I would have blown up.

Jiraiya grinned and gave Gaara a slap on the back.

"Anytime! Who were those paparazzi freaks hunting for anyway? Was it Neji? Sai?"

"It was Naruto."

Jiraiya froze and Gaara backed up a bit. There was a long uncomfortable silence.

"WHAT!?!?!?" Jiraiya exploded. "WHERE IS HE!?"

"He collapsed. Some brunette interviewer took him into the lounge after-"

"HOLY HELL!?!? WHY DIDN'T YOU DO SOMETHING!?"

"I was a little busy holding off Naruto's rabid pursuers."

"NARUTOOOOO!"

Jiraiya flew further into the room and threw open the Model's lounge.

* * *

"Ne…"

Neji turned around from the brunette interviewer and Sai's fervent arguing to see Naruto moving.

"Sai, I think he's waking up," Neji said, and Sai whipped his head around just as he and the interviewer had grabbed each other by the collar and readied their fists.

Naruto groaned and lifted a hand to his head, scrunching his eyes.

"Naruto-kun!" Sai said, rushing over to the blonde as he released the brunette.

"Give him some air," Neji ordered, holding back a hand to Sai. (He had been known to give death glomps.)

"Naruto-kun? Are you alright?" Neji asked quietly.

Naruto opened his sky-blue eyes and Sasuke practically melted.

"What…what happened?" Naruto choked out.

BANG!

The bar rattled as the door was forced open and a white blob came rushing in and tackled Naruto.

"NARUTOOO!" Neji and Sai relaxed when they recognized Jiraiya's voice.

Jiraiya grabbed Naruto by his shoulders from the couch and shook him violently.

"NARUTO! NARUTONARUTONARUTO! WAKE UP!!!" he cried, rattling him like some kind of stuffed animal fox.

"HENTAI!!! I'M AWAKE YOU PERV!" Naruto shouted.

"You are!?" Jiraiya said, ceasing his relentless shaking and looking wide-eyed at the puddle of gold in his arms.

Naruto's head dropped back and he gurgled in response, his eyes spinning.

"THANK GOD!" Jiraiya cried, and Naruto's head shot up.

"M-matte!" (wait) he said, holding up his hands as Jiraiya brought the blonde closer to him. "Mattemattemattemattemattematte!!! Gak!"

Naruto let out a choke as Jiraiya brought him into a bone-crushing hug. (Worse than Sai's.)

Neji winced as he heard Naruto's back crack.

"Oh my god! I was flipping out, Naruto!" Jiraiya cried. "I thought the paparazzi had eaten you for sure! Kami-sama! Oh wait, I remember now!"

Jiraiya pulled Naruto back and held him up eye level with him. (Naruto was shorter than most males and Jiraiya was a freaking tall giant!)

"What?" Naruto groaned, obviously not wanting to hear anything else the man had to say.

"I came here to tell you that you have your 9:30 am interview now!"

Naruto blinked, then snarled.

"No way! I've had enough! I'm going home!!!" he said, wriggling in Jiraiya's grasp on his shoulders.

"You have to!" Jiraiya whined, not letting the blonde go. "If you don't Tsunade will kill me! Literally! Please son?"

* * *

Sasuke blinked.

SON!?!?!?

That white-haired tall guy with the red face tattoos was Naruto's _father!?_

"Jiraiya, I'm tired and I wanna go home!" Naruto whined childishly, pouting cutely.

"Pleeeeaaassseee?" The man named Jiraiya begged. Naruto regarded his "father" for a moment before rolling his eyes and sighing.

"Excellent!" Jiraiya bellowed, plunking Naruto back to the ground.

"Hm. I wonder where the fellow Tsunade sent is."

"Over here."

Jiraiya and Naruto swiveled their heads toward Sasuke as he stepped forward, and Naruto's eyes bugged out of his head as he thrust an accusing finger at the brunette interviewer.

"T-t-teme!?"

* * *

**I is evil. DUN DUN DUN! Next chappie, the interview! The award ceremony! The soccer game! The…late night happenings!?**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	3. Getaway

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None! **

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Lord. --.--**

**Gomi-kun: Kitsune…is not in a good mood O.o**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: stfu.**

**Gomi-kun: Wow. I think I like this side of you better…anyways, sorry. Kitsune gets like this when it's close to vacation time. Sky doesn't like waiting. –sigh--**

* * *

**Reviewer Replies (Cause I'm not using the button anymore)**

**To **shadowphoenix143: Ah, thank you for the lovely review! X3 Un, I've never much seen Lee having a crush on Naruto, so I threw in the crack love pairing for fun! Lo! And by the end of this chapter Sasuke may have to protect Naruto from more than the paparazzi, kukuku…

To Patty-Kay: Arigatou!

To cluelessninja65: This will be explained later, but bah! I'll explain now! Jiraiya is Naruto's adoptive father. Naruto didn't know his parents and he lived in an orphanage for most of his life.

To megumi-sachou: Un, but just cause it's not high school doesn't mean there's no angst! Lol! ;b

To everyone else: Arigatou! Thank you all so much for your praise! T.T

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Three: Getaway**

"Naruto! Naruto, get back here!" Jiraiya yelled running out the doors of Sungakure Modeling Studios as said blonde star stormed out, practically leaving a dust cloud in his wake.

He followed Naruto to the parking lot, a certain brunette interviewer watching the scene with cross arms from outside the front of the building. Naruto had slipped out of his modeling clothing and now wore casual black ripped jeans and a crimson tee-shirt that read "Dattebayo" in black jagged letters. (Sasuke assumed that it was his favorite clothing brand.)

"Naruto! Stop!" Jiraiya said, sprinting to keep up with Naruto's brisk pace as he made his way out to the parking lot where a custom black Ferrari with an orange stripe gleamed in the sun.

"SON!"

Naruto whipped his head around as he pulled out his car keys, shooting his manager a death glare.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the intensity of his defiant stare.

"What?" he snarled.

"Naruto, I promised Tsunade this interview!" Jiraiya said. "Then you have a shoot signing, a 'Crimson Eyes' rehearsal for three hours, and the young actor's award ceremony. You can't just walk away from all of that!"

"Watch me," Naruto spat. "It's only freaking 10:00 in the morning and I've already have one hell of a day! I'm going home damn it!"

Naruto swung open his car door and Jiraiya gripped his shoulder.

"Naruto c'mon, muddle through this day!" Jiraiya said.

Naruto rolled his eyes.

"And I thought I told you not to drive this death trap! Iruka will drive you wherever you need to go."

Naruto glared again and turned back to getting into his car.

"Ok! Ok!" Jiraiya said quickly. "I'll cancel the signing, alright? But you can't get around rehearsal and the awards ceremony."

Naruto paused for a moment, then sighed and shut his car door.

"Fine," he said. Naruto threw his hands in the air and walked back towards Sasuke. The raven smirked.

"Shut it teme," Naruto growled. "Let's get this over with."

* * *

Naruto and Sasuke stood outside on the balcony of the model's lounge that overlooked the city, Naruto's bodyguards flagging his back. Sasuke reached into his bag and brought out a recorder. (Much more efficient than pen and paper, a lesson learned the hard way…)

He looked up and he felt his body suddenly calm.

Naruto had his arms crossed over the balcony railing and his head rested on them, his sky-blue eyes shimmering in the light of the late morning sun. A breeze passed by and ruffled his hair as if trying to caress it as gently as possible; an invisible touch unworthy of his sun-kissed skin.

Naruto shifted his eyes to Sasuke.

"You ready or what?" he said, and Sasuke blinked stupidly.

He cleared his throat and regained his composure.

"Dobe," he said under his breath, and Naruto grinned. (A lovely sight indeed.)

"Do not speak to Naruto-sama in such a manner," Naruto's larger and more muscular body guard said warningly.

"Gomen," Sasuke said half-heartedly. "So, Naruto-_sama,_ let's begin."

"It's just Naruto," the blonde said, not lifting his head but instead swiveling his eyes to Sasuke.

"Naruto-sama-"

"Chouji, it's fine," Naruto snapped to his body guard, who bowed his head in apology and fell silent once more.

"Ok teme, shoot," Naruto said, and Sasuke flared a bt.

"It's Sasuke," he said.

"Whatever you say."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Let's get this started," he said, pressing the record button on his recorder.

"So Naruto, where did you attend high school?"

Naruto seemed to perk up. He lifted his head and smiled, and opened his mouth to say-

"Too personal."

Naruto's jaw went slack as he looked at his other bodyguard Shikamaru.

"What?" Naruto said.

"Jiraiya-sama has given us a list of questions that are considered too personal that he does not want you to answer."

Naruto growled and grit his teeth.

"Every damn time…" he mumbled. For once, just ONCE, he wanted people to know him without restrictions from his manager, but noooo! Everything was just too personal to know!

"Ok, next question…" Sasuke continued nonetheless. "What's your favorite band?"

"Too personal," Shikamaru deadpanned. Sasuke glared at him.

"Ok…favorite food?"

"Too personal."

"Movie?"

"Too personal."

"Animal?"

"Too personal."

"Color!?"

"Too personal."

"What the hell isn't personal!?"

"Anything about Naruto-sama's current acting career."

"Everybody already knows about all of that shit! No one knows who he really is!"

"It's too personal. We've been given strict orders."

Sasuke slammed the stop button on his recorder and placed two fingers on the bridge between his nose.

There was a sudden beeping noise and Shikamaru looked at his watch.

"Naruto-sama, you need to leave now. Jiraiya wants you at rehearsal early."

Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Can you two go pull up my car?" Naruto asked, and he flipped Shikamaru the keys from his pocket.

"R-really Naruto-sama?" Chouji asked. Naruto grinned and the two were in the elevator in a matter of seconds.

Damn well they wanted to drive a Ferrari!

Naruto stood up from the balcony and looked at Sasuke.

"Teme," he said.

"Dobe," Sasuke replied. Naruto pouted (squee!) then suddenly cracked a grin.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

What the hell? He was insulting the guy's super celebrity ego!

"I'm sorry about the crappy interview," Naruto said sincerely, catching Sasuke's eye.

"I can give you a real interview though this Friday at the Cocoloco Club."

"Dobe, are you crazy?" Sasuke said. "I can't afford to even touch the carpet there."

Naruto reached into his shirt and pulled out a blue necklace; the same one from the sexy poster of him Sasuke noted.

"Here," Naruto said, tossing Sasuke the necklace. Sasuke caught it and examined the blue sheen the clear stone gave off.

"Show that to the manager and he'll take you where you need to go, no cost necessary," Naruto said. Sasuke blinked.

"This stone can get me into the celebrity club in Tokyo?"

"Yep!"

Sasuke blinked.

"Hn," he finally said.

"Geez, could be more thankful you know teme!"

"Dobe, won't you bodyguards be with you in the club?"

Naruto grinned mischievously and Sasuke's felt his heart rate increase.

"I have that covered. Just be there at 10pm and you'll get every question answered."

"I thought your manager didn't want you to."

"That's the point."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow and Naruto smiled. (Sasuke had an inner fangirl attack.)

"Shikamaru's probably waiting. See ya Sasuke," he said, walking toward the lounge door.

"Oh, by the way…" Naruto turned back around, his eyes to the floor and a light brush of pink across his face.

Sooooooo cute!

"Ano……thanks for saving me back there……..from the paparazzi and all…"

Sasuke blushed a bit and turned his head away.

"Whatever dobe…"

Naruto looked at Sasuke and smiled genuinely, and Sasuke felt like his face would melt. That smile didn't look like one for the cameras…it was so soft…

"Thanks," Naruto said again before turning around and walking out of the lounge.

* * *

"Though you are a thief with no greater desire to steal that which rightfully belongs to my kingdom…you interest me," Naruto, or on stage as "Yuki Ryozuka" said.

He paced in a slow circle with his arms behind his back around a young woman with white blonde hair. Her own hands were tied back with a rope and she watched Yuki carefully, the crimson cloak around his neck swishing as he walked. Naruto's hair was tied back into a short ponytail, his clothing regal and a sword in its hilt at his waist. The woman wore brown leather pants and a simple white shirt ripped at one sleeve

Three cameras surrounded them and the lights flickered this way and that to shadow the scene correctly.

"I interest you, do I sire?" Ino, onstage as Namida Sohma said, grinning a bit.

Yuki stopped in front of her and met her gaze. (Ino thought she would faint.)

"Indeed."

"Then will your highness permit me to freedom?"

Naruto scoffed.

"I have obligations, and a lowlife thief such as yourself could never seduce me into such a reward when you have stolen such a priceless family heirloom."

"You underestimate my power of seduction…_sire_."

Namida leaned forward and pressed her lips against Yuki's and his eyes widened. He backed up a bit, but Namida leaned forward more to kiss him harder.

Yuki froze for a moment, then slowly closed his eyes and kissed the thief back, wrapping one arm around her waist.

Namida wriggled one of her thin wrists out from the rope, reaching up her hand and removing the tie that held the prince's hair back. It fell in golden tamed sheets of spikes around his face, and she buried her hand in the soft locks. (Ino was doing an inner fangirl rave.)

Namida moved her other wrist out of the rope, and in a swift flick she grabbed Yuki's sword, pulling it from its hilt and brandishing it at the prince as she broke from him.

"I could never seduce you, could I?" she smirked as Yuki backed up a bit.

Yuki didn't falter, and instead sneered.

"Clever-" CRASH!

"TOBI!!!"

The cast and crew groaned and sighed as the cameras were stopped and the lights were returned to normal.

The director stood up, fuming until his long blonde hair turned red.

"TOBI!"

A man with spiky brown hair ran up to the director, tail between his legs.

"Gomen Deidara-san! Gomen!"

"YOU RUINED THE SCENE!!!"

"B-but Tobi is a good boy!"

"GRAH!" Deidara launched for Tobi, and was immediately held back by the camera crew.

Naruto face-palmed.

"How many freaking times do we have to do this scene?" he grumbed. He suddenly felt something rub up against him, and he looked to his right.

Ino clung to his arm, looking at him through a half-lidded lusty gaze.

"Aw, having a bad day Naruto-sama?" she said in an attempted sweet voice. Naruto's inner self gagged.

"I know how to _relieve_ all of that stress you know."

Naruto snatched back his arm with a glare at the blonde and walked off set.

"Deidara, I'm leaving," he said to the director being held to the ground.

"Okey dokey! Have a great day Naruto-sama!" Deidara said, suddenly cheerful and glassy-eyed.

As Naruto left the building to where Iruka had pulled up in his limo he heard another loud crash.

"_TOBI!!!!"

* * *

_

Sasuke sighed as he returned home, tired from the grit and grind of work.

He undid his tie, practically half-asleep, and he looked at the clock.

3:00 pm.

The Young Actor's Award Ceremony would be starting just about now.

Sasuke flopped onto his couch, grabbed the remote, and flicked on his TV. He channel-hopped until he reached Tokyo Pop TV and settled down into a comfy position.

"_Welcome minna-san to the 2007 Young Actor's Award Ceremony!"_ the red-haired woman on the scene said as she stood by the red carpet. Fans were sectioned off by ropes and security guards stood at attention by the doors of the humongous building.

"_Many aspiring actors and already hit ones will be accepting many awards tonight, but the most coveted Young Actor of the Year award will be given to none other than the young star, Uzumaki Naruto!"_

Sasuke smiled a bit.

"_So stay tuned minna-san as we wait for the modern day royalty to walk down the carpet and hopefully spare us a few words!"

* * *

_

Sasuke yawned as the reporter on the scene blabbed about celebrity fashion and some other worthless crap.

Where the hell was Naruto!?

"…_and so it looks like these shoes are now officially back in- wait, who's that!?"_

Sasuke perked up as a sleek black limo pulled up to the carpet, and he caught his breath as Naruto stepped out.

Naruto looked gorgeous, his hair glowing against his black suit like liquid gold and his eyes shining. The suit outlined his lithe but toned framed, flexing over every muscle lovingly.

Sasuke almost fell off the couch again.

"_Uzumaki-san! It's Uzumaki-san!"_ the interviewer exclaimed, going completely nuts as the crowd screamed like crazy.

Naruto smiled, scratching the back of his head sheepishly and blushing a bit, and three girls in the front passed out.

Naruto walked forward on the carpet, smiling and waving and giving a lucky few some autographs.

The reporter scrambled ahead, camera bouncing behind her, to catch up with the young star.

"_Naruto-sama! Naruto-sama!"_

Naruto turned around and smiled a bit to the woman, but Sasuke saw right past it.

He was freaking beyond pissed.

"_Hai?"_

"_Are you excited to receive your reward?"_

"_Un. It's a great honor. Please excuse me, I need to get inside as I'm running a bit late."_

With that Naruto sped into the building, his adoring fans still screaming his name.

* * *

"Five minutes Uzumaki-sama!"

Naruto sighed as the backstage director passed him for the fifth time, reminding him of his cue to receive his award.

Naruto sat in the lounge in the back, his elbows resting on his knees and a glass of champagne cupped in his hands.

He sighed.

It was almost 5:00. He had promised Kiba, his best friend (and at one point more) in high school that he would be there for his big college soccer game playoff's…but then again Naruto found it hard to keep promises nowadays.

Naruto emptied the glass and stood up, walking out of the lounge.

The stage was bustling as two actors onstage chatted into the microphone, a ripple of laughter moving among the crowd every now and then.

Naruto shoved his hands into his pockets.

Since when had his life revolved around his fame?

Naruto walked forward, ignoring the gazes from other actors and the stage crew.

Suddenly Naruto felt a stream of cool air, and he whipped his head to the source.

A stage hand was walking in through a back exit door used to bring in props, the man himself just returning from a smoking break.

Naruto blinked.

And then he blinked again.

A feral grin spread over his face.

* * *

Sasuke yawned.

It was only five o'clock but he was tired as hell. The reporter's chatter on the TV sounded like a drone to him as his eyelids became heavy and he supported is head up by resting his chin on his palm.

Sasuke shook his head and readjusted himself to a less comfortable position.

He had to stay awake! Naruto was to accept his award next!

Sasuke watched as the manager of Sungakure studios walked onstage, his face as blasé as ever.

"_Minna-san, now we will recognize the one actor who has climbed his way up to the top and to be given the coveted title of Young Actor of the Year,"_ he said. _"I am proud to have him as our star model and faithful employee, Uzumaki Naruto."_

The crowd went wild and the red curtains parted to reveal…

Sasuke's eyebrows shot up his head.

* * *

"GOOO KIBA!!!! KICK HIS ASS!!!"

Naruto stood up from the risers, pumping his fist with the rest of the excited crowd as a young man with brown spiked hair and bleeding crimson triangle tattoos on his face weaved in and out of opposing soccer players, dribbling the ball in front of him carefully this way and that.

Naruto wore a black tee-shirt with the dattebayo logo in bloody red letters and a pair of tight crimson jeans torn at the knees to match, a chain hanging from one side. His whisker marks were no longer apparent thanks to some cover-up he had found in the dressing room, and his hair was stuffed into an orange hat with the exception of a few stubborn golden spikes poking out.

He was still as hot as hell, but didn't give himself away to the crowd of people around him.

Naruto cheered more as Kiba neared the goal. The man feigned a left, and sideswiped the ball to another member of his team, who shot the ball into the net with force as the buzzer sounded.

Naruto threw up his hands and howled, an inside joke between himself and Kiba.

The team tackled each other in happiness and slapped each other on the back as the coach ran to the field and praised them.

* * *

Gaara blinked. He had said the cue, right?

"_Ano…Uzumaki Naruto!"_ he said a bit more loudly as if demanding Naruto to magically poof into existence on the spot…but it remained an empty stage.

From the corner offstage Jiraiya clenched his fists and grit his teeth.

"_The little bastard!"

* * *

_

Naruto walked down from the risers as Kiba separated from his team and crossed the field to the building where the locker room was located.

Naruto walked up to him, intercepting his path.

"Good game," Naruto said, keeping his head down.

"Thanks," Kiba said uninterestedly. "Sorry, but I need to go to the locker room.

"Alright. A certain blonde idiot just wanted to let you know that you were great."

"Un, thanks-" Kiba froze as he began to walk past Naruto, then looked back at him.

Naruto laughed a little as Kiba dipped his head down (he was two inches taller) and pulled up Naruto's hat a bit by the tip.

"NARU-TMMF!"

Naruto slapped a hand over Kiba's mouth.

"Baka!" Naruto hissed, looking around him to make sure that no one had heard Kiba's (almost) outburst.

Kiba grinned sheepishly before hugging his friend tightly.

"God, you're here! You're here!" Kiba said happily.

Naruto gasped as Kiba suddenly lifted him up and spun him around shouting, "YOUMADEITYOUMADEITYOUMADEIT!!!"

"Kiba! I'm getting dizzy!" Naruto said, and Kiba put him back down to earth after giving him another embrace.

Naruto held his head and placed a hand on Kiba's shoulder to steady himself.

"Blech! You reek!" Naruto said, sticking out his tongue.

Kiba grinned.

"Fine Mr. Celebrity. Let me go shower real quick and get dressed. I'll meet you in the parking lot. You remember which car is mine right?"

"What other hunk-of-junk red car is there?"

"Pfft. _Excuse me_ if it isn't some hyped up Ferrari!"

Naruto rolled his eyes and Kiba smiled.

"Cute as ever," Kiba said softly, leaning his face close to Naruto's.

"K-Kiba!" Naruto stuttered, pink tinting the bridge of his nose.

Kiba smiled and brushed his lips against Naruto's.

* * *

**Kibanaru to come...bwahahahaha!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	4. Lover's Past

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None! **

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Hurray for vacation!!! X3 Sorry the chappie is a bit short. -.-'**

* * *

**Reviewer Replies (Cause I'm not using the button anymore)**

**To aloukou101: Lol! The updates are fast right now cuz I have xmas vacay, so I hate to say it, but come January they will be slower. T.T**

**To CloudyEros, bakaviewer, Catat, blusum, cluelessninja65, and Sarah: Arigatou minna-san! I'll update soon! ;3**

**To Kativa-chan: Kukuku, yep just to torture you all! ;3**

**To shadowphoenix143: Un, well Naruto and Sasuke can't get along right off of the bat now can they? Lol.**

**To berkie88: JIRAIYA ADOPTED NARUTO SO HE TECHNICALLY IS HIS FATHER. NARUTO NEVER KNEW HIS PARENTS. SO SAD T.T Sorry, I put it in bold so people would read it cause they've had questions about that, lol! And Jiraiya totally struck me as a tightass manager!**

**To : Arigatou! I was a total sasunaru fan until I discovered kibanaru which is now my second fav!**

**To moonlit dew: Yeppers! The interview will be in the next chappie! ;3**

**To solitare1: Just throwin' in some kibanaru luuuuuuvin! Lol!**

**To lovewritermaiko: I hope I updated soon enough for you! Thanks for teh review! X3**

**To TasteLikeBlood and getayaoilover: There's not enough kibanaruness in the world! Sasunaru will always be my fav, BUT KIBANARU IS LUV TOO!**

**To PanPan: Awah! Arigatou! There will be more characters, followed by angst to come! And the kibanaru…oh teh kibanaru!!! –in fantasy world—**

**-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Lemon scented…this is M people! But I dun write lemons. :b**

* * *

**Chapter Dedication: So many lovely reviews!** **This one is for berkie88, , and PanPan. Luv you all! ;3

* * *

**

**Chapter Four: Lover's Past**

The drive back to Kiba's home in his red Buick lecerene (which was in surprisingly in much better shape than Naruto thought) breathed an uncomfortable air.

The radio played softly as Naruto looked out the window, his hat long gone and his golden locks spilling over his eyes. He balanced his chin on his hand as he watched the streetlights whiz by.

He couldn't get his mind off of that (almost) kiss.

It shouldn't have surprised him as much as it did. He and Kiba had been together when they were eighteen in their senior year of high school and were once inseparable.

But that was before Naruto's sudden rise to fame.

Naruto closed his eyes as memories made his mind hazy.

_---Flashback_

_Naruto closed his eyes, his muscles sore but his body satisfied._

_He smiled when Kiba rained butterfly kisses on his neck._

"_Nice way…to end senior year… ne Naru-chan?" Kiba breathed._

_Naruto opened his eyes as reality hit him like a ton of bricks._

"_Kiba…I…I need to tell you something," he said softly._

"_Hm?" Kiba said, shutting his eyes and running his hand up and down Naruto's gorgeous back._

"_Remember the audition for that movie Jiraiya had me try out for? I…I got the part."_

_Naruto gasped as the room suddenly flipped upside down and he found himself nose to nose with a grinning Kiba._

"_That's great Naruto!" he said, giving the blonde a kiss. He continued over Naruto's cheek, his ear, and down his neck. Naruto purred and hummed in approval as Kiba's tongue swiped one of his newly acquired hickeys._

"_Since my audition people are lining up for interviews with me…and I'm really busy," Naruto continued_

"_I bet," Kiba replied against his skin._

"_So much that Jiraiya says I'll only have time for two years of college."_

"_You weren't much into school anyways."_

"_And the college I'm going to is out of state…"_

_Kiba paused. He let his head rest once again in the crook of his lover's neck as he digested all of this new information._

"_I…I see," he finally said after a long and tense pause._

"_After I get back," Naruto continued slowly. "I'll be busier than ever. As my manager Jiraiya thinks it…unwise…to be in any sort of relationship."_

_Kiba lifted himself up and looked into Naruto's shimmering sapphire eyes._

"_So I guess…." he started. "I guess…………….we shouldn't see each other anymore. We should…." Kiba swallowed. "…__**break up.**__"_

_Naruto looked away as his eyes began to fill to the brim with tears, when he felt a warm hand caress his cheek and push his head back to look into pools of dark chestnut brown._

"_I'll miss you," Kiba said softly. "I love you."_

_Tears spilled down Naruto's cheeks as he threw his arms around Kiba's neck._

"_Kiba!" he cried, pulling his soon-to-be-lost lover into a passionate kiss._

_Kiba cupped Naruto's face as he kissed him harder, trying to memorize his taste and touch._

_He felt salt tingle on his lips as tears began to slide down his own face._

_------End Flashback_

"Naruto? We're here."

"Huh? What?" Naruto said, jerking his head up at the sudden noise and bumping his nose against the window.

"Itai!" Naruto said, rubbing his red nose and pouting.

Kiba laughed.

"You're such a moron," he said. "Here, let me see it."

Naruto leaned forward and Kiba placed a hand on one side of his cheek. He examined Naruto's nose, tilting his head with his hand.

"It's fine. It's just red," Kiba said. He moved his eyes to look back at the blonde's face when he fell into a crushed blue sky.

Naruto and Kiba both blushed a little from their close proximity. (Naruto more than Kiba.)

"You always were such a baka," Kiba said softly in a tone of endearment instead of insult.

"Kiba…I…" Naruto said, his eyes involuntarily moving to half mast as the brunette moved closer.

"I missed you," Kiba said before closing the gap between them.

Naruto's eyes widened momentarily, and then closed as Kiba cupped his face and kissed him gently, caressing his lips tenderly.

Naruto had seen Kiba again after two years when he was twenty, but they had stayed on a friend basis. He had to admit…

He missed this too.

Kiba requested entrance to Naruto's mouth, swiping his tongue against the crease of his lips. Naruto snapped back into reality as he closed his eyes and pushed Kiba back.

"I-I can't," he said. "I can't be involved in any relat-mff!" Naruto could help but groan when Kiba cut him off and slipped his tongue into his open mouth.

Kiba let out a sharp moan himself as Naruto's sweet addictive taste came back to him as though he had kissed him yesterday. He revisited every corner of Naruto's mouth before greeting his tongue again in what felt like forever.

Kiba parted from Naruto's lips, kissing his neck and licking at the golden skin.

"God I missed you," Kiba said, slipping his hands under Naruto's shirt and feeling the soft dips the blonde's muscles made beneath his fingers.

"K-Kiba," Naruto tried again as he struggled to maintain clarity.

"Naruto, please…I don't care if you're always busy. Dammit Naruto I love you! Please…"

Naruto pushed Kiba away and the brunette gave a defeated sigh.

This quickly turned into a gasp as Naruto crashed his lips against Kiba's in a searing kiss.

No way in hell was Jiraiya controlling his decisions anymore.

* * *

Jiraiya downed another shot of sake and slammed his fist on the table in front of him.

"THAT DAMN BLONDE BASTARD!" he shouted for the umpteenth time.

Gaara sat across from him sipping a martini calmly, his legs crossed.

"HOW COULD HE!? DAMN BRAT!"

Gaara sighed and shook his head.

"You've been keeping him on a short leash for his whole acting carrier," he said. "I would have cracked in the first year if I were him. He's needs room to breathe and live his life for himself."

"I'M ONLY PROTECTING HIM!" Jiraiya yelled, flailing his arms. "GOD KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING NOW!"

* * *

Naruto and Kiba stumbled into the brunette's medium sized apartment, their lips clashing furiously and hands gripping each other tightly.

Kiba slammed the door with his back and Naruto reached under his arm to click the lock in place.

KIba walked forward, causing Naruto to as well.

This was a new apartment and Naruto didn't know the layout, so he guided them to his bedroom, only breaking for air.

Kiba reached the room and slammed the door shut with his foot.

He was thankful that he kept his bed close to his door as he propelled Naruto a few more paces.

Naruto gasped and broke from Kiba as he felt the back of his knees hit the end of the bed and he fell backwards onto it.

Kiba pounced on the bed after him, grinning mischievously and showing off sharp canines.

"Brings back some memories, ne Naru-chan?" he said. Naruto pouted.

"Why am I always –chan?" he said.

Kiba chuckled and pecked his lips.

"Because you're always uke."

Naruto was about to argue when Kiba attacked his neck.

* * *

Sasuke climbed into his bed, the award ceremony's blank stage and announcement that Naruto was not in the building sticking to his mind like crazy glue.

Sasuke grinned a bit.

Naruto was pretty gutsy to do what he did, especially since the award was BIG.

Then again, what did the blonde have to do so badly that he skipped the award ceremony? Or was it just to piss off his manager?

Sasuke found that he was pleased with the outcome either way.

* * *

Naruto groaned as Kiba slowly dragged his Dattebayo shirt up his body, skimming his lips on the blonde's chest.

Kiba's shirt was long gone, Naruto having thrown it off in quite a creative manner.

Kiba flung the shirt away and kissed over Naruto's chest, traveling down and dipping his tongue into his belly button. Over it was a complicated black tattoo that Kiba had so clearly remembered the blonde had gotten in the beginning of senior year.

Naruto moaned and rocked his body a bit, driving the brunette into an untamed state of pleasure.

"God Naruto," he breathed against his skin as he licked around the tattoo. "You taste so freaking good!"

Naruto groaned as Kiba continued to kiss down until he very quickly met his jeans. Kiba ran his hands up and down Naruto's sides as he took the zipper to Naruto's bulging pants in his teeth and slowly dragged it down.

* * *

"NARUTO-SAMAAA! WHERE HAVE YOU GONE MY LOVELY!?" Lee cried in the modeling studio as Gai pat his back.

"I'm sure he's fine Lee," he reassured his photographer and young prodigy. "He was probably just stressed out and needed some air is all."

* * *

"GOD KIBA! NNG! FASTER!"

Kiba teased Naruto a little longer before complying.

"Still the- ng – same s-sweet spot," he said as Naruto moaned loudly.

Kiba ran his dull fingernails down Naruto's back as his body moved swiftly and sharply back and forth.

"Hah…Kiba…unnnh…" Naruto gasped. Kiba felt the passion built up inside of him explode as he thrust into Naruto with such force that they both let out loud cries and reached their climax simultaneously.

"KIBA!"

"NARUTO!"

Naruto panted as the brunette collapsed beside him, also breathing heavily.

Going without sex for three years during such a young hormone high age did that to you.

Naruto felt tears gather in his eyes and he gripped the sheets beneath him as he buried his head in them.

Kiba looked over to Naruto, confused, and pulled the blonde against him.

"Maa, Naru, what's wrong?" Kiba asked, closing his eyes and engulfing his face in the golden locks under his chin.

Naruto put his hands on Kiba's chest and shared his pillow.

"I…I'm not sure," Naruto said truthfully. He looked up to Kiba with glassy eyes, looking into his chestnut orbs.

"This feels…I dunno…_different._"

"Different?" Kiba said.

"Un. This doesn't feel like it did back in high school."

Kiba raised an eyebrow.

"Iie! That was great!" Naruto said quickly. "You haven't missed a beat! But…like I said, I dunno. I feel weird…"

Kiba chuckled and kissed Naruto's forehead.

"I thought you were about to say that I was really rusty!" he said. Naruto smiled back at him weakly before it faded and an uneasy look passed his face.

"Ano…this just feels so strange…" he said quietly.

"You haven't been so intimate with someone in a long time, so it probably just feels foreign," Kiba said, leaning down and kissing Naruto's neck.

Naruto shut his eyes tightly.

"_Kiba's touch feels good…but…"_ Naruto grit his teeth. _"It just feels like lust. This isn't love…I knew what it felt like three years ago. This isn't it…this isn't it…this-"_

Kiba took Naruto's hands in his own to find them cold and shaking.

"Naruto?" Kiba said worriedly, pulling back to look at him.

"This isn't it!" Naruto said, abruptly sitting up against his aching body's will. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, his naked back shining in the moonlight spilling in through the curtains. He quickly slipped his clothes back on, his body trembling violently.

"Naruto! What's wrong?! Where are you going!?" Kiba said, sitting up.

"This isn't love Kiba," Naruto said, not looking at him as he pulled the zipper up his jeans. "This is just lust. I-I knew love, and we had it…but it's gone. Having sex with my best friend feels like the most uncomfortable thing in the world."

Naruto walked briskly out the room and to the door, his hind quarters throbbing.

"Naruto! Matte (wait) Naruto!" Kiba said, running up behind him without bothering to clothe himself. (Hey, he had no shame!)

"I'm sorry Kiba," Naruto said as he slammed the door.

Kiba stood there in silence as he listened to the beat of his own heart.

* * *

Iruka groaned under the warm covers of his bed, turning over as his cell phone began to ring harshly against the lovely silence of his room.

His hand flopped out from under the covers, flailing like a fish out of water as he searched for the electronic nuisance.

He found it and pulled it under his covers, holding it to his ear as he flipped it open.

"Mfrm?" he said.

"_Iruka."_

Iruka bolted upright in bed.

"Naruto!? Where are you!? Why did you leave the ceremony? As a manager Jiraiya is furious, and as a father he's worried sick!" he said.

"_Iruka….can you come pick me up?"_ Naruto said, his voice sounding weaker than ever.

"Naruto?" Iruka said a bit more softly. "What happened? Are you alright?"

"……"

"I'll be right there. Where are you?"

"_The corner of Okaland Boulevard."_

"I'll come as quickly as I can."

"_Iruka?"_

"Hai?"

_Please……don't tell Jiraiya."_

"Naruto he-"

"_Please Iruka…please…"_

Iruka sighed.

"Alright."

* * *

Iruka pulled over to the sidewalk with Naruto's limo when he saw the young superstar sitting hunched under a streetlight with his knees drawn up to his chest, waiting patiently.

Iruka scrambled from the limo (still in his pajamas) and bent down in front of him.

"Naruto! Daijobou?" he said.

Naruto looked up at him through glazed eyes and nodded. He stood up shakily, Iruka straightening himself as well, when he suddenly fell forward, just barely catching himself with his leg.

"Naruto, let me help you," Iruka said. Naruto was silent as Iruka put one of the superstar's arms over his shoulder and helped him into the limo.

* * *

The car ride was silent, Iruka checking in his review mirror now and then to see Naruto in the same position as when he had found him, hugging his knees to his chest and shaking a bit.

Iruka sighed.

"Naruto…" he started slowly as if the wrong word would send the star sprinting. "What…what happened?"

Naruto lifted his head to look at his driver in the eyes, and Iruka almost gasped at how lifeless they looked.

"I went to Kiba's soccer game," Naruto said. "We went back to his house, and…I realized that I didn't love him anymore. It was just lust…"

Iruka didn't say anything. He got the message of what happened.

"Naruto, would you like to stay at my home for a little bit?" he said kindly.

Naruto smiled and nodded. Going to Iruka's house was almost like having a mother taking care of him.

Iruka smiled and turned at the next light instead of going forward.

* * *

The phone on the table beside Jiraiya's bed rang the next morning just as he emerged from his morning shower. His white hair clung to his skin, wet and knotty.

"Hello?" Jiraiya said, picking up the receiver.

"_Jiraiya-sama-"_

"OHMYGODIRUKADIDYOUFINDHIM!?" Jiraiya screamed into the phone.

"_Yes, he's at my house,"_ Iruka said weakly after the outburst.

"HEISINSOMUCHTROUBLEWHENIGETOVERTHERE!"

"_With all due respect Jiraiya-sama, please don't yell at him."_

"Huh?"

"_Naruto's little escape started out as a favor for a friend…but it escalated…"_

Jiraiya paused and sighed.

"I see," he said. "With who?"

"_Kiba-kun."_

"Are they back together?"

"_I think that's why Naruto is so reclusive now, but we'll have to ask for the story later."_

"In light of the situation, I have no choice but to cancel his schedule for the next few days. In a parental outlook, tell him that he's grounded."

"_I don't think that it will matter much since he currently has no intention to leave the house."_

Jiraiya hung up the phone and sighed.

Deidara was gonna blow the shit out of him when he heard Naruto couldn't attend rehearsal.

* * *

**Poor Kiba X(**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	5. Home

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

**2****nd**** Disclaimer: The songs mentioned dun belong to meh. Nope. The song(s) in this chappie: "Stronger" by Kayne West. I dun like the song but it fit's one part of the fic. **

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Hurray for vacation!!! X3 Gods I have been writing so much that I think my fingers are gonna fall off! O.o Someone get me a coffee... -.-'**

**Gomi-kun: --blinks--**

* * *

**Reviewer Replies (Cause I'm not using the button anymore)**

**To EllaCrain: Lol! Actually kibanaru is my second fav pairing below sasunaru! I was so mean to poor Kiba! Waaa! T.T**

**To Sarah: Lol! Kibanaru is my second fav pairing! (sasunaru rules XD) Indeed, Naruto is the absolute uke for his age group! Lol!**

**To PanPan: -whacks her computer-- STOP DELETING HER REVIEWS!!! GRAH!!! Yes, I am a kibanaru fan XD There aren't many fic about them though…--sniffle—You seriously don't believe in people shouting names during an…ahem? O.o**

**To TasteLikeBlood: I wouldn't be that mean to Naruto and have the press grab a pic of some kibanaruness…though I was thinking of it, kukuku…**

**To moonlit dew: Lol! Well, kiba isn't givin up that easily! I assure you! X3**

**To C.Alexia: Kiba ish not givin up! You hear me ppl!? NOT GIVIN UP!!! FIGHT FOR HIM:0**

**To knute314: Squee! Favorited! ;3**

**To berkie88: Naruto just needs a big smack in the face and a reminder of his age, lol!**

**To hunni C A K E: I don't know how I'd survive if there wasn't any flirting T.T**

**

* * *

**

**Inspiring song perfect for this fic!**

**"Home" by Michael Buble**

Another summer day  
Has come and gone away  
In Paris and Rome  
But I wanna go home  
Mmmmmmmm

Maybe surrounded by  
A million people I  
Still feel all alone  
I just wanna go home  
Oh, I miss you, you know

And I've been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you  
Each one a line or two  
"I'm fine baby, how are you?"  
Well I would send them but I know that it's just not enough  
My words were cold and flat  
And you deserve more than that

Another aeroplane  
Another sunny place  
I'm lucky I know  
But I wanna go home  
Mmmm, I've got to go home

Let me go home  
I'm just too far from where you are  
I wanna come home

And I feel just like I'm living someone else's life  
It's like I just stepped outside  
When everything was going right  
And I know just why you could not  
Come along with me  
'Cause this was not your dream  
But you always believed in me

Another winter day has come  
And gone away  
In even Paris and Rome  
And I wanna go home  
Let me go home

And I'm surrounded by  
A million people I  
Still feel all alone  
Oh, let me go home  
Oh, I miss you, you know

Let me go home  
I've had my run  
Baby, I'm done  
I gotta go home  
Let me go home  
It will all be all right  
I'll be home tonight  
I'm coming back home

* * *

**Chapter Dedication: So many lovely reviews! This one goes out to Sarah, moonlit dew, and berkie88! Luvs ya all! ;3

* * *

**

**Chapter Five: Home**

**---**

_Knock Knock_

"Naruto?" Iruka said attentively as he rapped on the guest room door where Naruto had been staying for the past three days.

"Naruto, please talk," Iruka sighed. "You've barely spoken a word since the mishap with…well…and you haven't eaten a scrap of food. Please Naruto, don't make me call Jiraiya."

Iruka stepped back from the door as it suddenly opened and Naruto stood in the doorway.

Iruka was surprised at how collected the blonde still looked. His hair was a bit tangled but retained its natural god-like sheen, and his skin was still liquid gold wrapped around his body. He wore a black tank top that showed off his lithe but slightly muscled frame with a pair of crimson red pajama bottoms.

"Sorry if I've been worrying you," Naruto said, his voice cracking slightly from lack of use.

"Maa, how about some tea?" Iruka said kindly, placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

* * *

Naruto wrapped his slender tan fingers around the warm mug in front of him on the table, letting the heat travel through his skin as he waited for the tea to cool.

Iruka smiled as he sat across from him at the table, sipping his own mug.

"It must be good to get out of that room!" he said happily, grinning. Naruto ran his fingers over the top of his mug silently.

Iruka sighed.

"Naruto, I know what's it's like to loose your first love," Iruka said softly. "Actually, it hurts even more when you reunite with that love to realize that you…well, you don't love them anymore. But you need to move on. There are men and women literally _begging_ for one date with you! Just look at Rock Lee!"

Naruto's eye twitched.

"Ok, bad example…but you need to get back out there! You don't need to go all out or anything. Just getting out of the house is enough. I know that Jiraiya grounded you, but he forgot something that apparently you did too."

Naruto gave a Iruka a puzzled look that would have made his fans melt and start to hyperventilate.

"You're twenty-one Naruto," Iruka said, chuckling as Naruto's face lit up a bit. But it was short-lived as it slipped back into a depressed mask.

"Go out tonight Naruto," Iruka said.

"Easier said than done, Naruto replied. "The paparazzi are on the hunt for me and Shikamaru and Chouji are always close by, even if I can't see them."

Iruka took on a thoughtful look for a moment before smiling mischievously.

"Leave them to me."

* * *

_Later that night…_

Shikamaru yawned in the front seat of his car outside of Iruka's house, Chouji munching chips happily next to him.

"He's been in there for three days," Shikamaru grumbled. "So troublesome."

"Naruto-sama is going through a rough time," Chouji said, pausing as he peeked into his empty bag to make sure there were no invisible chips hiding from his forever hungry mouth.

"Hey Shika, what time is it?"

"9:00 pm. Why?"

"I missed dinner!!!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes when his phone suddenly started vibrating. He grabbed it from his belt buckle and flipped it open.

"Hello?"

"_Shikamaru."_

"Hai Sabaku-san?" Shikamaru said, mentally slapping himself awake. It had to be important for Gaara to actually call and WANT to talk.

"_I wanted to speak with you about some new security arrangements for Naruto,"_ Gaara said. _"I don't want another paparazzi invasion happening anytime soon. Can you meet me at the studio? It might take a while to explain."_

"Hai," Shikamaru said, and flipped down his phone.

He turned to Chouji.

"Out," he said.

"Huh?" Chouji replied, still mourning a bit over his chips and lost dinner time.

"Get out. I need to meet Sabaku-san at the modeling studio to talk about some security arrangements for Naruto-sama."

"Where am I supposed to go?"

"How the hell should I know? Just find a bush or something."

Chouji pouted as he exited the sleek black car and Shikamaru sped off into the night.

* * *

"Is he going?" Iruka said into his cell phone.

"_Yep,"_ Gaara replied.

"Excellent. How long can you keep him there?"

"_I've got a thirty bottle collection of imported sake. The time is unlimited once he gets drunk off his ass."_

"Good. I'll work on Chouji."

* * *

Naruto stuffed his pillows under the bed in Iruka's guest bed to make it look like the outline of his curled up body, just in case Shikamaru or Chouji decided to look in the window and check on him if Iruka's plan didn't work out.

He had to hand it to himself, it almost looked like he could pull back the covers and find his clone sleeping there.

Naruto walked over to the full length mirror on the door and examined himself.

He wore a long-sleeved dark orange button-up shirt and a pair of tight black jeans that hung loose around his hips, a chain dangling mischievously off one side. The shirt, hideous on the hanger, hung off his lithe frame beautifully and made his skin glow in the light. His hair hung in calm spikes, framing his face and brushing against his shoulders. His whisker-like scars intensified the sparkle of his azure eyes, and if one were to push back his hair, they'd see the small silver hoop earring on his right ear.

In short, he was damn drop dead sexy.

Naruto sighed as he glanced at his watch.

Half past nine.

He had to meet that Sasuke guy for his interview in a half an hour…but could Iruka pull off his plan?

* * *

"Chooouuujiii!"

Chouji perked up his head from the bush he sat behind as his name was called, and he bolted upright when he smelled it.

FOOD.

GLORIOUS FOOD.

Chouji was standing in front of Iruka at the doorway in a heartbeat.

"There you are Chouji!" Iruka said happily, ushering the bodyguard in.

"What's going on?" Chouji asked as Iruka led him to the dining room.

"Naruto is so grateful to you and Shikamaru…"

Iruka flung open the door and Chouji died and went to heaven.

"That he ordered you a feast from the finest restaurants in town!"

Chouji drooled as his eyes gazed over the assortment of food…wonderful sushi…wait, was that barbeque!?

"S-Shikamaru had to leave on business," Chouji stuttered, restraining himself.

"Oh well, I guess that you'll have to eat his portion," Iruka said. "No need for it to go to waste. And while you eat Naruto should be fine. He's been in his room all day again. Very sad really-"

Iruka was cut short as Chouji whizzed past him and attacked the food in front of him, unable to contain his appetite any longer.

Iruka grinned and discreetly slipped out of the room.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

"All clear Naruto."

* * *

Naruto brushed off the twigs and leaves from his shirt as he walked to the road in front of Iruka's house that spiraled around the neighborhood.

Maybe taking the bedroom window as an escape wasn't the best choice…

Naruto looked up as he saw headlights flash in his eyes. It must have been Lee there to pick him up and take him to the Cocoloco club. After all, Naruto didn't have his car with him and did NOT want to give himself away to the paparazzi.

The car pulled up to the curb, it's dark olive green color glaring at Naruto, and said blonde quickly hopped into the modest car.

"NARUTOOOO-SAMA!" Lee cried, immediately bring the superstar into a bone crushing hug the second he had closed the door.

"I MISSED YOU SO MUCH MY LOVELY, LOVELY BLONDE BEAUTY! I WAS TERRIFIED THAT YOU HAD GOTTEN HURT! BUT YOU'RE SAFE NOW IN MY ARMS MY LOVE! MY SUNSHINE! MY GOLDEN RAINBOW!!!"

"L-Lee…" Naruto choked. "Can't…..b-breathe!"

Lee released Naruto, blushing a bit as the blonde caught his breath.

"Gomen nasai," Lee said, bringing Naruto into another, much gentler hug. (Naruto never thought such an amazing feat was possible.) "I was just so worried about you Naruto-sama."

"I'm fine," Naruto sighed, patting Lee on the back. He pulled away and smiled at him.

"Let's go. I'll be late for my interview."

"Matte Naruto-sama! You promised!" Lee said, leaning in close to Naruto. Naruto rolled his eyes and gave Lee a quick peck on the cheek.

"There. Now let's g- AHHHH!" Naruto yelled as Lee screeched off toward the Cocoloco, completely high off of Naruto's light kiss.

* * *

Naruto spilled out of Lee's car into a pile of goo as the vehicle went from eighty to zero in a millisecond.

"CALL ME WHEN YOU WANT TO BE PICKED UP NARUTO-SAMA!!!" Lee cried, speeding off again.

"A-a-ari-rigato," Naruto sputtered, wobbling to his feet.

Suddenly two pairs of strong arms lifted him up fully and righted him. Naruto turned and grinned.

"Ibiki! Asuma!" he said.

"Naruto-sama! Haven't seen you at the Cocoloco for a while!" The bald and muscular man Ibiki with the scar across his face said.

"Psh, it hasn't been that long," Naruto said.

"Yea, only two months," the other man named Asuma with brown hair and a dark tan said.

"Well excuuuse me if I'm not the type of celebrity to get drunk off my ass every night!" Naruto said jokingly.

The three of them laughed and walked to the long line of people waiting to get into the Cocoloco. (Which they never did.)

"Hey Genma!" Naruto said, waving to a brunette with a bandana over his head and a toothpick in his mouth. He stood at the front of the line in front of the red velvet gate, a clipboard in his hand.

"Hey Naruto-sama! Where've you been?" he said, clapping Naruto on the back.

"Miss me that much?" Naruto teased.

"Hell yea! You're always the one celeb who is sober enough for us to have a conversation with that doesn't involve slurring and hurling."

Naruto laughed.

"Wa! Is that Uzumaki-sama?!" a woman from the middle of the line suddenly cried, and all heads turned.

"Shit," Naruto cursed under his breath as a ring began to form around him.

"Go ahead Naruto-sama, we've got you covered," Asuma said, smiling as they took the place of bodyguards.

"Thanks guys!" Naruto said. Genma automatically unclipped the red velvet gate.

"Hey Genma, can I ask a favor?" Naruto said.

"Whatcha need?" Genma said.

"I'm meeting someone here tonight. Could you show him in for me? I'll be in the corner lounge. He's got raven hair that spikes at the end, black eyes, and one hell of an ego. He'll show you my crystal."

"You're crystal!?" Genma burst out. "Naruto-sama, what if he lost it!? That crystal is the most precious thing in the world to you!"

"I trust him. He's not just another reporter."

"How would you know?"

"I know enough…"

* * *

"_Work it, make it, do it, makes us harder, better, faster, STRONGER!"_

The club was on fire when Sasuke arrived, having just had to flash Naruto's necklace and he was escorted in by a man with a bandana.

"_N-n-now-th-that don't kill me can only make me stronger. I need you to hurry up now, cause I can't wait much longer." _

"Naruto-sama is over here," he said, leading Sasuke. "Stay close or you'll get lost."

Sasuke walked faster so that he wasn't lagging behind the man; he believed that someone COULD get lost.

The place was FRAKING HUGE!!!

"_I know I got to be right now, cause I can't get much wronger; man I been waitin' all night now, that's how long I've been on ya."_

The dancing and bar was below, the second floor overlooking it as a sea of bodies swayed and music pumped through the building. The service was top quality, the multicolor lighting dazzling the room with neon, the walls neatly painted and the carpet for once not scuffed unlike so many common clubs.

The place looked so expensive that Sasuke was afraid to even sweat, that his common aura might recoil the atmosphere around him.

"_I need ya right now."_

"He's right there," the man said, stopping and nodding his head to a lounge in the corner next to the bar that seemed cut off from the rest of the drunken dancing reality.

Sasuke nodded thanks and looked back at Naruto to have his jaw drop.

Naruto was sitting on a plush back leather chair, his legs crossed as he rested his chin on this palm. His long-sleeved dark orange button-up shirt outlined his lithe but firm frame, his golden skin flashing against it. A pair of tight black jeans hung loose around his hips but became tighter as his legs crossed, a chain dangling impishly off one side. His hair hung in calm spikes, caressing his face and glowing in the dim light. His whisker-like scars intensified his crushed blue gaze to the point of where they were more beautiful than the sky itself.

Naruto looked up and met Sasuke's gaze.

Naruto gulped as Sasuke walked over to him leisurely.

Sasuke wore a black shirt with a fan symbol in the right breast that outlined his thin but muscled form, his raven locks falling gently to brush against his shoulders. On his left wrist was a wristband with the name of a band. Further down he wore slim fitting jeans that just added to his physique, not ripped unlike Naruto's which he always ripped at the knees.

Naruto felt himself drool a bit and he placed a hand over his mouth.

"Naruto-_sama_," Sasuke said, sitting down in another plush black chair across from the superstar.

"Teme," Naruto replied.

"Dobe."

"Asshole."

"Usuratonkachi."

Naruto pouted and Sasuke diverted his eyes from his cuteness.

"Thank-you for the proper interview Naruto-sama," Sasuke droned. "It's an honor to be able to-"

"Whoa, whoa, freeze right there!" Naruto said, clamping a tanned hand over Sasuke's mouth.

Naruto blinked in surprise, then melt a bit when the smell of honey and sage reached his nose.

"_Mm…Naruto smells good…"_ Sasuke thought.

"If you're gonna interview me about my personal life, then don't act all business like. Just act like you're a friend asking about random junk, kay?" Naruto said.

Sasuke nodded stupidly and Naruto removed his hand.

Sasuke pulled a notepad and pen out of his back pocket; it was way too noisy to use his recorder.

"Ok Naruto-sama-"

"Naruto," Naruto corrected.

"Naruto…" Sasuke continued. "When is your birthday?"

"October 10th."

"That's in less than two weeks, right?"

"Yep! I'll be twenty-two."

"Same as me."

"Really? Cool!"

"Hn. You're easily amused dobe."

"Un, I am teme. Iruka tells me that all the time."

"Who's Iruka?"

"Iruka is my driver, but he acts like a mother hen towards me. He practically raised me."

Sasuke smiled.

He was getting to know the blonde already!

"So, where did you go to school?" he asked.

Naruto grinned.

"Proud graduate of Konoha High!" he said.

"Really? I went there too."

"Really? Wow! How come I never saw you?"

"I was the guy that was constantly surrounded by fangirls."

"Huh? Uchiha? Prince of Ice Uchiha!?"

"…what?"

"I remember you! Everyone called you an Ice Prince because you were such an anti-social bastard."

"Hn."

"Doesn't appear to have changed."

"Tch. Why didn't I see you?"

"Oh, I was the blonde idiot always late for first period English."

"Still a dobe."

"Teme!"

"Weren't you dating someone when you graduated?" Sasuke asked, and Naruto's smile dropped.

"O-oh…yea, I was," Naruto said, and Sasuke mentally smacked himself for making the blonde uncomfortable.

"Did you uh…meet up with him again?"

"Un. I did. Things didn't work out."

"Gomen."

Naruto bounced back, flashing Sasuke a million dollar camera smile. "No big!"

"Ok," Sasuke said, knowing that the grin was a fake one.

"Where did you go to college?"

"I went to Withercall University in England for two years before my acting and modeling career took over my life."

"What were you majoring in?"

"The Arts. Like drawing and painting."

"You draw?"

Naruto nodded.

"Nowadays I don't have a lot of time, but I used to be a drawing junkie! I haven't even been inspired lately though."

"What inspires you?"

Naruto sighed and Sasuke saw how his eyes gleamed and his body relaxed.

"People sometimes, but nature usually does; not normal nature though. People always paint sunsets for instance. Sure their beautiful, but it's a reminder of another day going by that we sometimes don't want to end. It's so bittersweet…instead of the sunset, I would sketch the snow. It's cold and subtle, but it's the subtle beauties that people just scan over."

Sasuke lost himself in that moment listening to Naruto. He wanted to hear him talk forever as long as his voice stayed so soft and beautiful, layered with emotions.

"Geez, I'm babbling. I sound like an idiot," Naruto suddenly said, shaking his head.

"I don't think you do," Sasuke suddenly blurted. Damn, that was supposed to stay a thought.

"Really?" Naruto asked, his face lighting up a bit.

"Dobe, why would I bother to say something I didn't mean?" Sasuke scoffed.

"Teme," Naruto grumbled under his breath, hiding a secret smile.

* * *

It was almost midnight by the time Naruto and Sasuke were wrapping up.

For some reason it hadn't sounded like an interview at all. Just…talking. Sasuke had stopped writing halfway through and just listened to Naruto, talking now and then about himself on the topic of discussion, something he would normally NEVER do. But Naruto was just so beautiful to watch, the way his sapphire eyes sparkled when he was talking about something exciting, or the cute curve his lips created when he pouted. His interests were surprising to Sasuke. He didn't like shopping or flaunting his money at all. In all reality, he was an interesting person in no way obsessed with his job, money, or the media.

And Sasuke wanted to know more.

"Ok, these questions are ones Tsunade wants me to ask," Sasuke said. Naruto nodded. He as well had been enjoying his long chat with Sasuke. The raven may not have realized it, but he knew just as much about Sasuke as he did about him.

"'It says…do you ever miss your home?' That can't be right. You've lived in Tokyo all your life and you said that you've never moved, right?"

Naruto chuckled a little.

"Jiraiya must have mentioned something to Tsunade if she knows about this," he said.

Sasuke gave him a questioning look and Naruto suddenly stood up.

"Wanna see my home, Sasuke?" he asked, smiling and extending a hand to the raven.

Sasuke searched Naruto's eyes for any doubt or mistrust, but found none.

He nodded and took the blonde's hand.

* * *

Sasuke pulled his navy blue jacket tighter around himself, the fall chill becoming more apparent as the night dragged on. Naruto walked next to Sasuke wearing a simple black winter jacket as well, nothing expensive like Sasuke would have expected before his interview with Naruto.

It had changed his whole perspective on the amazing blonde star.

Sasuke looked around.

They were walking through a small town outside of the city. It was modest, but not the most spectacular thing in the world.

"So, Tsunade had more question she wanted me to ask, but it's stupid," Sasuke said.

"Well better safe than getting your ass plastered to the wall by Tsunade," Naruto said.

Sasuke laughed lightly.

Wait…laughed!? Him?! There must have been a full moon in the sky for him to laugh or somethin'!

"So, she wants to ask, 'Do you ever get lonely?'"

Lonely? Lonely!? Ha! How could ANY superstar surrounded by millions of adoring fans feel lonely?!

"Yea," Naruto said quietly.

Sasuke's eyebrows shot into his head.

"You…are?" he said slowly. "But you have thousands of fans and you're constantly stalked by the paparazzi! And when you're at home your manager is still bugging you 24/7! How the hell could you be lonely!?"

Naruto smiled sadly.

"It's true that my privacy is intruded on a lot…but it's different," he said softly. He tilted his head up to the night sky, the stars winking at him from their midnight curtain.

"People love me because of my good looks, my talent as an actor…and nothing else. They know nothing about me. It's not like I can just go up to a fan and start a normal conversation without them sputtering about their obsession over me. There's a big difference between fans and friends. Actually, since I graduated from high school, I haven't had a lot of friends. My acting and modeling career have taken over my life and I barely have time to stop and breathe let alone talk with friends. Who wants a friend that's never there?"

"It's not your fault."

Naruto looked up at Sasuke, (he was an inch or two taller) hurt sketched in his sapphire eyes.

"I should at least have time for friends," he sighed. "But…thanks. I always blamed myself."

"Don't," Sasuke said. Naruto smiled softly, a rare genuine smile, and Sasuke felt his insides melt as he smiled a little back.

"Ya know, you probably know more about me than almost the whole city," Naruto laughed.

"What about your parents? I can't know more than they do," Sasuke joked.

"Baka, I don't have parents," Naruto said, punching Sasuke lightly on the shoulder.

Sasuke's mind froze over.

"You…don't have par-"

"Here we are!" Naruto suddenly exclaimed. He grinned widely.

"Home sweet home!"

Sasuke looked in front of them and his eyes widened.

* * *

**Yay! Another chappie done! ;3 Gods I am lovin xmas vacation! X3**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	6. Midnight Montage

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None! **

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Listenin' to lots o' music…..un.**

**Gomi-kun: What she said.**

* * *

**Reviewer Replies (Cause I'm not using the button anymore)**

**To Sarah: Hm, an interesting concept to include more of their high school life! Maybe I'll include it! ;) Thanx!**

**To Seph Lorraine: True, but Sasuke's was baffled by Naruto's loneliness since all the celebs he interview were too wrapped up in their fame and fans to be lonely.**

**To TasteLikeBlood: Sry, no can do! ;) You'll see this chapter…mwhehehehe**

**To berkie88: If you're a Gaara fangirl, then you'll luv this chappie, lol! The crystal will come in later muhaha!**

**To BeneathSecrets: Yep! Ur right, lol! This is a sasunaru fic, but Kiba doesn't seem to realize that yet and will be fighting for the dobe!**

**To EllaCrain: I'm sorry! I luv to torture with cliffie's, lol!**

**To Knute314: Ah! Arigatou!!!**

**To xXxTylerxXx: Kiba will try, but sadly he is not aware that the writer of this fic has declared this a sasunaru story…hehe**

**To moonlit dew: Yep! Orphanage!**

**To black'nred: Though Naru is a hot and smexy, he is the uke of this fic.**

**To Samantai: Yes, they're alive, but he doesn't live with them.**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Dedication: For berkie88, EllaCrain, and BeneathSecrets. Luvs you! huggles!

* * *

**

**Chapter Six: Midnight Montage**

Sasuke felt his blood freeze to a temperature colder than the autumn chill around him as the wind rippled under his skin.

His gaze settled on a ramshackle pile of what used to be a modest building, dirt and grime invading the crevices of the once strong frame, now a decrepit structure.

Sasuke looked to his right where Naruto stood next to him, still smiling warmly as he stared at the dilapidated mess. His eyes flicked up to look at Sasuke, and Naruto nodded forward.

Sasuke hesitantly stepped forward onto the property, and then noticed a collapsing sign in front of the building.

He walked over to it and swiped the dirt and soot away from it with his sleeve.

_Konohagakure Orphanage._

Sasuke felt his heart catch in his throat and he blinked and reread the sign.

He felt something sweep past him and looked up to find Naruto walking up the cement steps of the building, ignoring the time worn wood that creaked and groaned under his weight.

Sasuke silently followed as Naruto opened the door, broken on one of its hinges.

The building had a large front room with a toppled desk against the back of the wall, open arches parting left and right, leading to different rooms.

"Home sweet home," Naruto said, smiling softly.

"You lived here?" Sasuke asked. "But…but Jiraiya called you 'son'…he's-"

"My _adoptive_ father," Naruto filled in. He walked to the left and Sasuke followed suit, ducking under a collapsed wood from the upper floor.

"I never knew my parents; they died when I was born, so I was placed in an orphanage. I lived here for twelve years."

Naruto and Sasuke entered a large open room, devoid of furniture or otherwise.

Dust coiled and kicked up under their shoes as they shuffled in, dancing like murky serpents around their ankles.

Naruto looked to the corner where a lone broken chair sat next to a grimy window.

_---Flashback_

_The brunette looked up from her desk and paperwork as a couple walked in, pulling their winter coats tightly around themselves as they closed the chill and snow out of the moderately warm building._

"_Welcome to Konohagakure orphanage!" she said, smiling sweetly. "Are you looking to adopt?"_

"_That's right!" the wife said happily and the man nodding._

"_Great!" the brunette said standing from her desk. "Around Christmas we normally have families flooding in, but it's been slow this holiday. Oh dear I'm blabbering! Come, walk with me through the orphanage!"_

_The brunette walked ahead into the next rooms, kids whizzing past and shouting and playing around them._

"_So what age exactly were you looking for?" the brunette asked. "As you can see, the differences vary."_

"_Well, we were hoping for a boy between the ages of five and seven," the wife said. "You see, I remarried one year ago and my husband had a fourteen year-old daughter, and I'd always wanted to take care of my own child since I never had one, but his daughter was beyond that stage as soon as she became a teenager."_

"_Oh yes, that's actually quite common in the families that come here," the brunette said. "Oh yes! That's Ritskuo over there, a hyper young man, and over there is Yuki! He's shy but very rambunctious!"_

_The wife looked over to her husband._

"_I think we're looking for someone a little bit quieter."_

"_I think I know just who!"_

_The brunette walked back to the front entrance room and flagged a left._

_She flourished her hand to the corner where a small boy with spiky blonde hair sat, staring blankly out the window at the falling snow. He hugged a red fox plushie to chest._

"_That's Naruto-kun," she said. "Naruto-kun six and is very…quiet."_

_The trio walked up to the boy, who didn't even turn._

"_Naruto-kun?" the brunette said._

_The blonde turned his head, his big blue eyes shining against the three whisker-like scars on each of his cheeks._

"_Oh, he's adorable!" the wife said._

"_Naruto-kun, these people may want to be your mommy and daddy," the brunette said softly, kneeling down in front of Naruto so that she was eye level with him._

_Naruto looked up to the couple, who smiled warmly._

"_Hello Naruto-kun!" the wife said._

_Naruto blinked._

"_So Naruto-kun, what's your favorite animal?"_

_Naruto held out his fox in front of him, but quickly pulled it back and hugged it tightly. (The plushie itself was bigger than half of his body.)_

"_A fox huh?" the wife said. "That's an interesting animal Naruto-kun! What about your favorite color?"_

_Naruto blinked again._

"_Naruto-kun, won't you talk?"_

_Naruto held up his plushe to cover his mouth._

"_Naruto-kun is very shy," the brunette said. "He's practically a mute."_

"_I see…well, I'd rather have a more open son."_

_The brunette sighed and Naruto looked back out the window._

"_I see…well, let's continue then."_

_Naruto buried his head against his fox as the trio left._

_-----Flashback over_

"Naruto?"

Naruto blinked as a hand on his shoulder shook him back to reality.

"Huh?" he said, looking at Sasuke.

"Dobe, you just froze," Sasuke said. "I thought you were in a twilight zone."

Naruto looked back at the chair.

"I kind of was," he said quietly, and Sasuke saw the flash of sadness in his eyes.

"Why did you stay at the orphanage for so long?" Sasuke said more quietly, taking a chance.

"No one wanted to adopt me," Naruto said. "I used to sit in that chair everyday and look out the window."

"Why didn't you play with the other kids?"

"Because, no one wanted to play with someone who wouldn't speak."

Sasuke gave Naruto a quizzical look.

"I was never adopted because for twelve years I was a mute," Naruto explained. "It's also why I was an outcast as a kid. I wanted to talk, I really did, but…I don't know, I just couldn't. I guess deep down I never found the need or want to."

"But…didn't you want a family?"

Naruto turned to look at Sasuke.

"More than anything," he said. "I would try so hard to talk. I would practice in front of the mirror for an hour every morning, trying to make a sound come out of my mouth, but it never worked."

Sasuke felt his heart wretch as the blonde's eyes became hazy with sadness.

"When did you start talking?" Sasuke said slowly as if the wrong word would break the blonde.

Naruto grinned at Sasuke

"After I was adopted by Jiraiya. Jiraiya is always to smug to admit it, but he always wanted a kid. Too bad he was never married. He didn't care if I couldn't speak, because I showed enough emotion on my face to talk. He said I was weird…" Naruto chuckled. "But in a good way! Then I met Iruka who basically became my long lost mother. One day when I was almost thirteen Iruka took me to the park. There were a lot of tourists that day and I got lost in the crowd. Iruka was frantic calling my name and I heard him, but couldn't shout back. As Iruka's tone got more worried, I got scared he wouldn't find me, and finally strained my voice to call his name."

Naruto giggled and Sasuke felt his heart melt.

"'Ruka was so relived that he almost passed out."

Sasuke smiled a bit.

"What about you Sasuke? You have family?" Naruto said, walking back out of the building.

"Pfft," Sasuke scoffed. "If you count a sadistic older brother, a perfectionist father and an overprotective mother, then yea. I guess I do."

Naruto laughed.

"Overprotective huh? You think _you've_ got it bad?" Naruto joked.

"Hn. Dobe," Sasuke said.

"Teme!" Naruto said, stopping and whipping around.

"Usuratonkachi."

"Asshole."

Naruto and Sasuke stopped as they realized their close proximity. With every insult delivered a step was taken until they were both an inch from each other's faces.

Naruto felt a blush creep up his face as Sasuke's breath rippled against his skin, and the scent of the winter wind dipped in snow reached his nose; the scent itself belonging solely to Sasuke.

Sasuke felt himself become lost in a sea of sapphire blue as he stared into Naruto's eyes, the tint of pink on his cheeks illuminated by the blonde hair brushing against them.

"Thanks for the interview," Sasuke said, struggling to not let his eyes drop to half mast.

"N-no problem," Naruto said, Sasuke onyx stare rippling under his skin.

"We should do this again sometime," Sasuke said. "But not as an interview."

"Like…as friends?"

Sasuke smiled.

"Un, as friends."

Naruto smiled back, his heart pounding in his chest and his eyes closing as he saw Sasuke lean in, his lips hovering above his own.

A screech engulfed the air as a car careened around a sharp turn in the street and shrieked to a halt in front of Naruto and Sasuke.

Naruto let out a yelp and clung to the thing nearest to him…meaning Sasuke.

"NARUTOOOO-SAAAMMAAA!" Lee called, his opposite car window rolling down.

Naruto let out a relieved sigh and blushed when he realized that he was gripping Sasuke.

"G-gomen!" he stuttered, letting Sasuke go.

"Whatever," Sasuke said, also fighting down a blush.

"NARUTO-SAMA! JIRAIYA-SAMA IS HEADING TO IRUKA-SAN'S HOUSE FOR YOU!!!"

"Oh shit," Naruto hissed under his breath. He turned to Sasuke.

"So uh…"

"This Monday?" Sasuke said, looking up at the sky nonchalantly, his hands in his pockets.

Naruto smiled and nodded.

"I'll meet you at the Cocoloco at eleven."

"Eleven?"

"Yea sorry, I have rehearsal for Crimson Eyes and a photo shoot at Sungakure Studios. That is…unless you wanna come to the rehearsal and shoot?"

Sasuke shifted his gaze to Naruto who looked to the ground quickly and blushed.

"I-I mean it'll be great for your job…right?" Naruto said.

Sasuke fought down a smile in an attempt to look collected and uncaring.

"I guess so," he said.

"Ok. Rehearsal begins at noon, and then the shoot starts at 5:00."

"Long practice."

"Yea, it sucks."

"It's fine. I'll pick you up at 11:45."

"It's alright, you don't need to pick me up. I have a driver and-"

"No. I mean…I want to," Sasuke said, looking away as he blushed.

Naruto turned a bit pink in the face and he smiled.

"Ok."

Naruto pulled out a pen from his pocket.

"NARUTO-SAMAAA!" Lee yelled, honking his car's horn.

"HOLD ON!" Naruto shouted back.

He turned back to Sasuke and pulled the brunette's hand forward, scribbling on it with his pen.

"This is my address, and that's my cell number in case you get lost," he said, giving Sasuke back his hand.

"Dobe," Sasuke scoffed.

"Teme," Naruto countered.

"NARUTO-SAAAMMMAAA!" Lee cried.

"Ok! Ok!" Naruto said.

"I gotta go obviously," Naruto said to Sasuke, rolling his eyes. "See you Monday."

Sasuke nodded, and suddenly Naruto leaned forward and closed the distance between them in a chaste kiss.

Sasuke didn't even have time to blink before it was over, and Naruto was staring wide-eyed at him as if _he_ had initiated the kiss.

Naruto's cheeks flushed crimson and he put a hand to his mouth.

"C-cya Sasuke!" he said, quickly jumping into Lee's car and speeding away.

Sasuke stood there for a good ten minutes after they left, replaying over and over again in his mind what had just happened.

* * *

"NARUTO-SAMA I WAS SOO WORRIED WHEN I COULDN'T FIND YOU IN THE CLUB! I THOUGH YOU HAD BEEN KILLED BY THE PAPARAZZI!!!" Lee cried as he drove. 

"I-I-I-I-I'm fine!" Naruto said, clinging to his only lifeline, otherwise known as the leather seat, as Lee drove like a maniac through the streets.

* * *

"Then I telsh em, nah! Thash only mah secund drinkie!" 

Gaara glared intensely outside of the window of his black stretch limo, tapping his fingers. He wore his usual clean black suit and red tie, his legs crossed tightly as he retained his anger.

Shikamaru sat slumped next to him, his usual spiked ponytail undone, causing his black hair to fall in calm spikes around his face and brush against his neck. His black jacket had been removed, revealing his black fishnet shirt underneath over a firm chest.

"Idn't tha crazshy Gaa?" he slurred, falling back so that his head rested on the redhead's lap.

Gaara's eyes twitched.

After six bottles of imported sake, Shikamaru was declared dead to the world. (Of course Gaara had also had a glass or two, but he was never a big drinker.)

"Gaar?"

Gaara looked down and grit his teeth.

"'Crazshy' indeed," he bit out. He just had to survive five more minutes and Shikamaru would be out of his hair and back at his own house.

Gaara inwardly gasped as the front locks of his ruby red hair were tugged, and he came nose to nose with the wasted Shikamaru.

"Yoush got pretteh eyeses," he said, and Gaara raised a nonexistent eyebrow and he blushed a bit.

"Shikamaru, you're drunk off your ass," he said, bringing his head back up only to have it tugged back down again.

"No, I means it!" Shikamaru said, his face suddenly serious. "I knowsh I'm drunk, but I alwaysh thought yoush had pretteh eyeses."

Gaara's "pretteh" jade eyes widened as he felt a pair of warm lips press up against his own, and he gasped as Shikamaru's hot tongue lapped at the crease of his lips and begged entrance.

Gaara felt his whole body go numb as Shikamaru's skillful tongue probed his mouth open and crept in, mapping out the hot, moist cavern within.

The taste of alcohol prominent on Shikamaru's tongue swirled with his and Gaara's saliva, creating an intoxicating mixture that made Gaara's eyelids fall and his body feel hot with arousal.

Gaara finally moved his mouth, caressing Shikamaru's lips in slow, gentle circles. He groaned when Shikamaru's hand traveled up his shirt and over his lean chest. He broke from the redhead's mouth, letting him catch his breath as he began to suck on his neck.

Gaara gripped Shikamaru's shirt and pushed him away as the limo stopped in front of a modest house.

"Shikamaru, you're home now," Gaara said, and Shikamaru sat up reluctantly, casting a glance out the window.

He looked back to Gaara and leaned in, brushing his lips against the redhead's.

"Come in with me," he whispered, and Gaara felt his sanity slip.

How could this make him feel so good?

"I can't," Gaara said. "It wouldn't be right. You're drunk."

"I'd want you to come in even if I wasn't," Shikamaru said, sounding almost sober.

Gaara pushed Shikamaru off of him and pointed to the car door.

It wasn't that he didn't like Shikamaru………………..quite the contrary.

When Naruto was relaxing in the lounge and had no need for a bodyguard, Shikamaru would always sit down with Gaara in his office and just chat away. They both found that they had many things in common. The silences they shared were comfortable and relaxed, and glances were warm. You could say that the Sungakure Studios owner had grown a little more than a crush for the brunette.

But whether or not he had feelings for him was beside the point. He, like Naruto, had an obligation to his work. Having a relationship would distract him from everything important, and he couldn't take that risk.

Personal feelings had to be swept aside.

Shikamaru exited the car and entered his home, giving Gaara one last longing look before the limo took off.

* * *

"URgggggggggggggggggg…" 

Chouji groaned as he sat slumped in his chair in front of the table where empty take out cartons lay scattered, completely cleaned of their foods.

"So Chouji, did you enjoy?" Iruka asked as he came in from the living room.

Chouji gurgled.

"I'll take that as a yes…" he said, sweat-dropping.

He looked down as the cell phone clipped to his waist buzzed, and he flipped it open to see one new text message awaiting him. He opened it and let out a relieved sigh.

To: Iruka

From: Orange Fox

Pulling up to house in 5 - thx

"Iruka!"

Iruka practically dropped his phone when Jiraiya's voice boomed right in his ear, and he whipped around.

"I've come to take Naruto home," the white-haired man said. "He's in your guest room, right?"

Iruka froze.

"Y-y-y-yea, b-but don't you want a drink or something first???" he stuttered, and Jiraiya raised an eyebrow.

"No…" he said slowly. "I'm sure Naruto would like to get home."

"WAIT! Erm…how about some sake!?"

* * *

Naruto hurried out of Lee's car and ran around to the back of Iruka's house. 

He opened the window to the guest room where he was currently staying and climbed in, landing roughly on the wooden floor.

He heard Iruka's voice outside his door, frantic and babbling, and another deeper voice answered.

Naruto knew immediately who it was.

He ran to his backpack he had brought over to Iruka's house, undressed, slapped on a pair of worn jeans, and was tugging a blue tee-shirt over his head when the doorknob wriggled.

* * *

"Iruka, I said no!" Jiraiya said, gripping the handle of Naruto's door. "I'd just like to go home." 

"B-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-ut-"

Jiraiya opened the door to Naruto's room and Iruka shut his eyes tightly, waiting for the explosion.

"Hey Naru. How're you feeling?" Jiraiya said in a fatherly tone, and Iruka opened one eye.

Naruto lay on the guest bed, his arms behind his head and his legs stretched out and crossed lazily.

"Better," Naruto said, smiling and standing up. "Ready to go home."

Jiraiya grinned as Naruto grabbed his backpack.

"Wow, I should let him stay over at your place more often Iruka!" he said, and turned when he heard a loud "thunk!" on the floor.

Naruto stifled a giggle as he saw Iruka passed out on the floor.

"What's wrong with him?" Jiraiya asked, jabbing a thumb at the brunette. 

Naruto chuckled.

"It's been a long night."

* * *

Sasuke threw off his shirt, not bothering to remove his jeans, and flopped down on his bed. 

He put a hand to his lips where oh so recently the lips of a blonde angel had touched, and he felt himself smile.

Naruto…was definitely not what he had expected.

It was beyond his wildest dreams.

He was beautiful, smart, loud but cheerful, and he actually acted like he was a human instead of an otherworldly god. Sasuke realized that he had never wanted to listen to someone talk so much before…or even talk himself! He and Naruto were opposites, but alike in so many aspects…

Sasuke sighed contentedly and closed his eyes, his rare, soft smile staying with him. He felt like he wanted to giggle like an obsessed fangirl.

He blinked out of his fantasy world as the cell phone on his bedside table rang, and he flipped it open.

"What?" he said emotionlessly into it.

"_How was your date?"_

Sasuke bristled.

"Shino, it wasn't a date! It was an interview for work!"

"_Then why did you stop taking notes halfway through?"_

"I- wait…how do you know that?"

"_In case you've forgotten, which I assume you have, this is my night off. I was invited to the Cocoloco by a celebrity friend that I used to work with in photography. I saw you guys from across the room."_

"Hn," Sasuke said. "It wasn't a date. So what if I like talking to him? Naruto is an A-list celebrity/supermodel. He would never go out with a nobody."

"_Is that what your interview with him told you?"_ Shino said.

Sasuke paused and touched his lips again.

"_So what the hell are you waiting for Uchiha?"_ Shino said, reading Sasuke's mind. _"You've never felt anything for another person before besides annoyance or disgust…or both. Who cares if he's an A-list celebrity? Obviously not him. C'mon Uchiha, don't let him pass you by!"_

The phone line disconnected and Sasuke shut his phone, his eyes gleaming red in the dim light of his room.

He admitted it- he _did_ feel something towards Naruto, and famous or not, he wasn't letting it go.

* * *

**WOOT! GO GET YOUR DOBE SASUKE!!!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	7. Welcome to Hell

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None! **

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: This is a sorta filler…but it's not boring!!! (I hope…) In case you case haven't gotten it by now, ****everyone is OOC! ****Bwahaha, I updated quickly ;3**

* * *

**Reviewer Replies (Cause I'm not using the button anymore)**

**To berkie88: Thank you! Yes, that's what I meant and it has been corrected. whacks Gomi-kun Gomi-kun: What!? Sky-eyed Kitsune: You're my beta! IZ UR FAULT!!!**

**To Bianca Chang: I sry, I dun write lemon . But maybe some heavy lime? Dunno, have to see!**

**To moonlit dew: Arigatou! Thanks so much! ;)**

**To Catat: I kno, I want that fox plushie too! T.T Luved your review!**

**To Miyaki Kurata: Both actually. If you look in my profile, I explain that I dun live in America, but Japan! And yes, that makes me Japanese . I speak English really well, but I can't write a dang thing! Gomi-kun here, my best and amazingly still straight friend, moved here from America, so I forced him to translate all of my fics into English. Ahem…I mean, I asked him very nicely….—shifty eyes— After he translates them into English, he reads them back to me to make sure that I like the flow of the story, then he edits grammar mistakes and posts them. Viola! A new chappie!!! ;3**

**To TheDreamQuill: Sorry, Sasuke was supposed to be all love struck in the last chappie, but dun worry, I didn't make him all soft and squishy. HE'S ALIVE N' BITCHIN! And their relationship isn't quite set yet, as Sasuke has a rival after this chapter…**

**

* * *

**

**Inspiring songs for chapters will be posted here. ;3**

I didn't mean it when I said I didn't love you, so  
I should have held on tight, I never shoulda let you go  
I didn't know nothing, I was stupid, I was foolish  
I was lying to myself. I could not fathom that I would ever  
Be without your love. Never imagined I'd be  
Sitting here beside myself. Cause I didn't know you  
Cause I didn't know me, but I thought I knew everything  
I never felt

The feeling that I'm feeling now that I don't hear your voice  
Or have your touch and kiss your lips cause I don't have a choice  
Oh, what I wouldn't give to have you lying by my side  
Right here, cause baby (We belong together)

[chorus  
When you left I lost a part of me

It's still so hard to believe  
Come back baby, please  
Cause we belong together

Who else am I gon' lean on when times get rough  
Who's gonna talk to me on the phone till the sun comes up  
Who's gonna take your place, there ain't nobody better  
Oh, baby baby, we belong together

I can't sleep at night when you are on my mind  
Bobby Womack's on the radio  
Saying to me "If you think you're lonely now"  
Wait a minute this is too deep (too deep)  
I gotta change the station so I turn the dial  
Trying to catch a break and then I hear Babyface  
I only think of you and it's breaking my heart  
I'm trying to keep it together, but I'm falling apart

I'm feeling all out of my element  
I'm throwing things, crying trying to figure out  
Where the hell I went wrong; the pain reflected in this song  
It ain't even half of what I'm feeling inside  
I need you, need you back in my life, baby

[chorus  
When you left I lost a part of me  
It's still so hard to believe  
Come back baby, please  
Cause we belong together

Who else am I gon' lean on when times get rough  
Who's gonna talk to me on the phone till the sun comes up  
Who's gonna take your place; there ain't nobody better  
Oh, baby baby, we belong together, baby

[chorus  
When you left I lost a part of me  
It's still so hard to believe  
Come back baby, please  
Cause we belong together

Who am I gonna lean on when times get rough  
Who's gonna talk to me till the sun comes up  
Who's gonna take your place; there ain't nobody better  
Oh baby, baby

We belong together.

* * *

**Chapter Dedication:**

**This be for Catat, Masu-chan, and TasteLikeBlood. You guys rock my sox! XD**

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Welcome to Hell**

"FIIIIIIVVE AM! TIME TO GET ROLLING!!!" Jiraiya bellowed as he swung open the door to Naruto's room, the blonde in turn shrieking and falling off the side of his bed.

"C'mon Naru, let's go! Let's go!" Jiraiya said, walking over and picking up Naruto easily underneath his arms, plopping him on his feet.

Naruto groaned and slumped where he stood, shivering a bit from the chilly morning air hitting his bare chest and traveling up his toes.

"CHEST UP! EYES FORWARD! KNEES STRAIGHT! NO SLOUCHING!" Jiraiya cried, slapping Naruto on the back, elbowing him in the chest, tapping the back of his legs, and stamping his foot.

Thus Naruto stood at a forced attention position like a soldier in front of his commander.

"Whuz goin on?" Naruto drawled, still half asleep though he forced his body to stand erect.

"You missed three days work, that's what's goin' on!" Jiraiya boomed. "We need to make up for lost time! You have a rehearsal, a shoot, a meeting, a signing, and that music video! LET'S MOVE IT NARUTO!!!"

Naruto stretched out his arms and yawned, not even realizing that he was falling back in the process, thus resulting in the loud thunk as he collapsed onto the floor.

Naruto groaned.

"Nothin's ever scheduled before 9 Jirai…" Naruto whined. "It's freakin' 5 in the morning!"

Jiraiya let out a hearty laugh.

"We need to get you ready for your busy day!" he said, his arms crossed as-a-matter-of-factly. "And to make sure you stay on your toes as you do so, I brought in your trainer!"

Naruto's eyes popped out of his head as he heard footsteps, and he gulped.

"_Kill me now…"_

"LET'S GET MOVIN' BLONDIE!!!"

Naruto gasped as he felt a sharp tug on his arm, and the world flipped as he was forced up roughly only to come face to face with his trainer, Anko.

"SHOWER TIME NARU-CHAN!" she shouted, grabbing the whistle from around her neck and blowing it in Naruto's ear.

"GAH!" Naruto cried, welding his palms to his ears as the high pitch whistle reverberated throughout his brain.

* * *

**A/N: Who wants to follow Naru into da shower!? –counts hands— Thought so! Here's the link, lol! –I did not make the pic… http / shadowkatz. deviantart. com / art / SSS-Jumpable – 19852882 (DO NOT PUT IN SPACES!) Carry on!

* * *

**

Naruto groaned as he leaned his head against the shower wall, hot water droplets pouring his gorgeous million-dollar tanned back and defined shoulder blades.

He numbly grabbed the conditioner bottle and tilted his head back, his blonde hair falling onto his shoulders as he massaged the cold substance into his hair.

He sighed and let himself relax, happy that he had left off the bathroom light above him. After all, it was still dark outside, so why not inside?

Naruto rinsed his hair out, massaging his scalp soothingly as he tried to chip off the early morning stress that was his life. Maybe he could just stay in the shower forever?

Naruto's dreams were crushed as the lights flipped on.

"YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN IN HERE FOR TEN MINUTES!" Anko shouted, and Naruto groaned in response.

"GET MOVIN!"

Naruto yelped as the curtain was flung back and Anko poked her head in angrily. Naruto hurdled out of the shower like his butt was on fire, landing hard on his ass. He scrambled into the corner of the bathroom and grabbed the nearest object to cover his manhood.

Anko turned off the shower and crossed her arms at the blonde.

She raised an eyebrow and Naruto looked down when his unmentionable quacked.

"_WTF IS THIS DUCK!?"_ his mind screamed as he realized that he held an oversized rubber duck in his hands that…was quacking on its own.

"Naruto, get mov-"

"_Quack!"_

"Get movi-"

"_Quack! Quack!"_

"Get movin-"

"_QUACK!"_

Naruto gasped as the duck suddenly started to vibrate against his libido, and his eyes bugged out of his head.

"_Quack! Squeeze me, quack!"_ the duck said, and Naruto turned a bright shade of red.

Anko blinked.

"Just get your ass dressed…" she grumbled, heading for the door. "Oh," she said, stopping. "And leave that damn duck!"

"_Squeeze me, I quack!"_ the duck replied as Anko shut the door.

Naruto's whole body was beet red as he removed the duck from his libido and lifted it up to eye level with him.

He turned it on its side and found the on/off switch he had accidentally flipped. He raised an eyebrow when he found a label on the bottom of the duck.

_Pleasureduckie 4.0_

"JIRAIYA YOU PERVERT!" Naruto bellowed. "KEEP YOUR KINKY SEX TOY CRAP OUTTA MY BATHROOM!!!"

"NARUTO!" Jiraiya yelled from behind the door. "ARE YOU PLAYING WITH MY MR.FWOOPSYSHAFT DUCKIE!?"

* * *

Naruto caught his breath as he jumped off the treadmill after his first rehearsal, Anko by his side with her arms crossed. 

Naruto reached for his water bottle on the nearby bench when it was suddenly swiped by Anko.

"Anko, I'm thirstyyyyy!" Naruto whined, dropping to his knees as he panted.

"Then drink the chlorine, cause' you don't get a break until you give me thirty laps in the pool!" Anko ordered, pointing a finger at the sliding glass doors leading to the outside pool.

"Uh, you should be pointing to that door," Naruto said, pointing his own finger to the other glass doors to the inside pool.

"Oh no Naru-chan, you're doing those laps OUTSIDE!" Anko cried.

"It's winter! I'll freeze!" Naruto said, his mouth dropping open.

"You won't if you work up a sweat doing those laps! We have three days of lost gym time to make up for, and I'm not going to waste a second!"

Naruto slapped his hands over his ears as Anko blew her whistle again.

* * *

"IIAAAAAAAAAKK!" Naruto yelped as Anko shoved his bathing suit clad self into the pool, the icy water hitting his skin like a truck. 

"IT'S FREAKING FREEZING!"

"Too bad blondie! Get moving!"

* * *

Naruto let his head thunk down on Jiraiya's office desk as a glass of sake was shoved into his hand. 

"C'mon Naruto!" Jiraiya said, taking a sip of his own glass. "You're halfway through the day and you're done with Anko. Cheer up!"

Naruto groaned.

He gripped the glass in front of him and emptied it in one go, slamming it back down to the table as an indication for more.

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow.

"That rough, eh?" he said, pouring more sake into the glass until it was half full. Naruto was never a big drinker unless it had been a tiring day.

"Mmf," Naruto replied.

Jiraiya rolled his eyes and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, placing one in his mouth and flipping out his lighter.

"At least you'll have a less tight schedule tomorrow," he said, pausing to inhale and let out a puff of smoke.

Naruto swished the sake around in his glass nonchalantly before taking a small sip, a pink tinge already adorning his cheeks. (He really wasn't good with alcohol…)

Suddenly Naruto lifted his head and his face lit up.

Jiraiya moved back a little in his chair.

"Are you ok?" he said slowly.

Naruto grinned like a maniac and nodded. He stood up and grabbed his coat from the rack at the door.

"Well, gotta get going to that meeting!"

* * *

Naruto nodded to everything the manager of the company named Genma or something to that affect said during the meeting, his words going in one ear and out the other. 

Tomorrow…how could he have forgotten? Tomorrow he would be with Sasuke through his crazy day to day ritual.

Sasuke…

Naruto inwardly sighed.

There was something about Sasuke that made him feel so…comfortable. His smooth and forever calm voice, his moonlit skin, his subtle glances…

Naruto had never been with someone he felt he could so easily open up to. In fact, Sasuke had, whether or not he knew it, opened up to Naruto as well. During their interview, at which Sasuke stopping recording Naruto's responses halfway through, he threw in comments here and there about his own likes and dislikes, or aspects of his life. Naruto was pretty sure now that he knew just as much about Sasuke as Sasuke knew about him.

It felt so……amazing. Even when Naruto had gotten the chance to talk to non celebrities, he was never interested in what they had to say. All they saw were his A-list career factors and hot body, never anything else.

But Sasuke…he was different. Naruto could feel it.

He was so…..

"Uzumaki-sama?"

Naruto blinked a few times.

"Huh?" he said, looking at Genma who had pulled out a chart and a couple graphs.

"Are you listening, Uzumaki-sama?"

"Yes, yes, continue."

* * *

A girl squealed as the red velvet rope holding back a line of hundreds of star-struck fans was removed, and he scurried forward with a poster in her hot hands. 

"OH MY GOD, UZUMAKI-SAMA! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOU!" she screamed at Naruto, slamming the poster of the model she had with her down on the table in front of her. She leaned forward as if trying to breathe in his essence, and Naruto bent back in his chair.

"Er…thank you," the blonde said uneasily, signing the picture of himself and handing it back to the girl.

She shrieked in joy as Chouji ushered her to the exit and Shikamaru allowed the next billionth fan within that hour to come forward.

"Nice to meet-"

Naruto's breath caught in his throat as he looked up.

"Naruto," Kiba said, his brown hair falling around his face as his lips pressed together into a thin line. He looked the same as always, a dog-like collar choker around his dark tanned neck, a black shirt outlining his thin but toned frame, and a pair of ripped jeans hanging comfortably around his hips.

He was as handsome as ever.

"Kiba," Naruto breathed. He looked down to the table quickly, not wanting to meet Kiba's eyes.

Suddenly his chin was lifted by a set of familiar slightly rough fingertips, and Naruto found himself looking into a pair of pleading dark orbs.

"Naru," Kiba breathed, his breath drifting over Naruto's lips. "I need to talk to you, please. I've been trying to call you, but then again, I'd rather do this face to face.

"HEY! HE'S TOUCHING UZUMAKI-SAMA!" the woman behind Kiba said, and the rest of the girls (and some guys) shifted to the left to get a better look.

Naruto stood from his seat, pulling away from Kiba's gentle grasp as he looked at the fans eyeing him up hungrily.

He flicked his eyes to Shikamaru, and the brunette nodded.

Naruto took off like a bullet through the exit, dragging Kiba with him as choruses of squeals were let out and a fangirl stampede for the door began.

Shikamaru and Chouji flagged the exit immediately, keeping the girls at bay as they gave Naruto time to escape.

* * *

Naruto hopped into his car, Kiba following suit next to him, and locked the doors. 

There was an uncomfortable moment of silence between the two.

Naruto gasped as his head was suddenly tilted forward and Kiba crashed his lips against the blonde's.

Naruto let out a startled yelp, and Kiba took that chance to invade his mouth, twisting his tongue against Naruto's.

Naruto pushed against Kiba's chest, causing their kiss to break with a smack.

"Kiba! I-"

Naruto was cut off as Kiba's lips crushed against his again in a searing kiss.

Kiba looped an arm under Naruto's right leg and curled it around his waist, allowing him to press his body against Naruto's more and kiss him more deeply.

"Hah…s-stop, Kiba!" Naruto gasped in between another break for air.

"Naruto," Kiba whispered as he placed his head in the crook of Naruto's neck. "Why…what happened that night?"

Naruto sighed and dug one hand into Kiba's brown mat of spiked hair.

"Kiba…I don't love you," Naruto said quietly. Kiba pulled back to look at the blonde, searching his sapphire eyes.

"It's not the same as high school Kiba," Naruto said. "You're just….just my best friend. I don't feel anything else."

Kiba was silent for a few seconds, then lowered back to his seat and released Naruto, staring at the floor of the car.

Naruto sighed again and leaned over to cup Kiba's face in his hands.

"I _did_ love you before, Kiba," he said. "That'll always be true. But…I guess we just…fell out."

Naruto's felt his heart ache as he saw a lone tear drop from his best friend's black eyes and dissolve into his own golden skin.

"Kiba…" Naruto said, pulling his friend into a tight embrace.

Kiba limply held one hand on Naruto's arm in an attempt to hug back.

"It's not…it's not your job, right?" Kiba croaked.

"For once, no," Naruto replied, not letting his friend go. "But that's definitely another reason why I can't be with you. I'm an A-list celebrity and model. The media and paparazzi would follow and probe you to no end about being together with such a high ranking star. You might be ok with that…but I couldn't subject you to that. And sneaking away from Jiraiya, Shika and Chouji all the time would be impossible."

"I don't care about all of that…I love you Naruto!" Kiba said, pulling back to look at the blonde.

"I know, Kiba," Naruto said. "But I don't love you. I don't think you want a one-sided relationship."

Kiba nodded, and then suddenly his eyes lit up.

"Naruto, back in high school, you fell in love with me?" he said.

"Yea…so?" Naruto said, not following.

"So all I need to do is make you fall in love with me again!" Kiba said, straightening from his depressed position.

"Kiba, I don't-"

"I will Naruto, just watch. I will make you fall for me again," Kiba said, his face determined as he shot Naruto a grin.

With that he pecked Naruto on the cheek and hopped out of the superstar's car, leaving a certain blonde's mouth hanging open.

* * *

"It's done! I can't believe it's done!!!" Jiraiya chortled, running into the living room with a bowel of popcorn and a DVD in his hand. 

Naruto already lay sprawled out on the plush beige couch, face down as he practically melted into the cushions.

"Let's watch it!" Jiraiya cried. "Can we? Can we pweeeeaaasseee Naru???"

"Mrf," Naruto replied, and Jiraiya popped the disk into the player beneath the flat screen plasma TV on the wall.

He plopped on top of Naruto's back and crossed his legs.

Naruto let out an "oof!" and a groan as he back let out a sickening symphony of cracks.

"Get off!" he choked. Jiraiya pressed play on the remote, ignoring his adoptive son, and threw a piece of popcorn into his mouth.

The video started out with the Jpop star singing her top song, sitting on a roof and looking out over the ocean.

The camera suddenly fuzzed over as the song continued, and it refocused on the star walking down the boardwalk hand in hand with Naruto, who was dressed in casual clothing.

The scene continued to flip between memories of the two, supposedly lovers in the video as the song progressed.

As the song slowed to the bridge, the camera zoomed in on the star's eyes and refocused on a view of herself on a bed with her eyes closed, Naruto shirtless and kissing her neck as her lips moved to the words of the song, singing of lost love.

"Check you out Naruto! Babe magnet, ne?" Jiraiya said, pointing to the screen and bouncing a bit on top of Naruto.

Naruto looked at the screen and grimaced.

If there was one thing he hated the most about his acting career, it was pretending to love them and show physical affection such as the make out scene displayed on the screen.

The scene faded back to the ocean, and back to the Jpop star on the roof as the song ended and only the sound of the waves were left.

She looked down and saw Naruto looking up to her from the front door of her house. He smiled softly as the camera blinked out, and Jiraiya clapped his hands loudly.

"That was awesome Naruto!" he cheered. "It'll be front page music news by tomorrow!"

Naruto groaned as he felt his spine break in two.

* * *

**Sasu-chan got a rival! ;3**

**Yami-shin on Deviantart had the original idea for the vibrating duck with one of ther Ed, Edd, and Eddy fanarts. The situation it was used for and da duck talkin was my idea ;)**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	8. First Date?

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None! **

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Nice long chappie for all of you patient reviewers! ;3**

**Gomi-kun: --.--**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: WOOT! Say kyu-kyu in ur review if ya love meh!!! Lol!**

**Gomi-kun: --.--**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: And say immaemo if u looove Gomi-kun! Lol!**

**Gomi-kun: Please shut up. Just…..dear god, please.**

* * *

**Reviewer Replies (Cause I'm not using the button anymore)**

**To berkie88: I'm so mean to poor Naru, I kno! T.T Yea, I was reading an online comic on and there was a vibrating duck, so that's where it came from, but I tough of the name for it and how it should talk and quack. ;3 I just posted the credit at the end of the chappie. Thx for teh review!**

**To BeneathSecrets: I luuuuv to make ppl laugh! XD**

**To xXxTylerxXx: O.O**

**To Mina Hikari: Arigatou! (Should I be afraid of that gleam…? O.o)**

**To cluelessninja65: Thanks for being such a dedicated reviewer for all my stories! ;3 I'm gonna have to write all my dedicated reviewers something one day, lol!**

**To SakuraKissy: Hmmmm….—dangerous twinkle in eyes—That's a good idea! Muhahahaaha…**

**To moonlit dew: Sasu-chan and Kiba-chan don't face off right now, since I need to put in some sasunaru looooovin right now, lol!**

**Masu-chan: First thing I thought when I saw this was: O.O Zomg! Long review! I luuuurve long reviews! Lol! Aw, the pic didn't come up? T.T I sry, I'll chk the link! And don't worry, there's lots o' sasunaru lovin in this chapter to make up for Sasu-chan no being in the last one! ;3 Please, keep ranting! I luv it when ppl rant, I do! It makes me feel squishy and happy inside! X3 O.O ZOMG, WOULD YOU REALLY DO FANART FOR ME!? I WOULD LOOOOOOOOOVE FANART! ZOMG! Luvs you! huggles**

**To Catat: I sware that duck had me giggling like a perv when I wrote it! XD**

**To Bianca Chang: Gomi-kun: Finally someone gets it! Sky-eyed Kitsune: U know ur gay Gomi-chaaaan ;3 Gomi-kun: O.o Sky-eyed Kitsune: Anyways, sorry, I dun like lemons, but I might get closer if sasunaru decided to!**

**To Akuryou-x: Arigatou! I'll continue to do my best! **

**To SUPER LJOMI: Thank you! Yes, there's lots of sasunaru lovin in this chapter cause the last one was like a filler. But Sasu isn't gonna get Naruto just yet! After all, Kiba is scheming, muahahaha…**

**

* * *

**

**Inspiring songs for chapters will be posted here. ;3**

Rockstar by Nickelback

I'm through with standing in line to clubs I'll never get in

It's like the bottom of the ninth and I'm never gonna win

This life hasn't turned out quite the way I want it to be

_(Tell me what you want)_

I want a brand new house on an episode of Cribs

And a bathroom I can play baseball in

And a king size tub big enough for ten plus me

(_Yea, so tell what you need)_

I'll need a…a credit card that's got no limit  
And a big black jet with a bedroom in it  
Gonna join the mile high club at thirty-seven thousand feet  
--(Been there done that)--

I want a new tour bus full of old guitars  
My own star on Hollywood Boulevard  
Somewhere between Cher and  
James Dean is fine for me  
(So how you gonna do it?)

I'm gonna trade this life for fortune and fame  
I'd even cut my hair and change my name

'Cause we all just wanna be big rockstars  
And live in hilltop houses driving fifteen cars  
The girls come easy and the drugs come cheap  
We'll all stay skinny 'cause we just won't eat  
And we'll hang out in the coolest bars  
In the VIP with the movie stars  
Every good gold digger's gonna wind up there  
Every Playboy bunny with her bleach blonde hair  
And well...

Hey, hey, I wanna be a rockstar  
Hey, hey, I wanna be a rockstar

I wanna be great like Elvis without the tassels  
Hire eight body guards that love to beat up assholes  
Sign a couple autographs so I can eat my meals for free  
(I'll have the quesadilla, ha ha)

I'm gonna dress my ass with the latest fashion  
Get a front door key to the Playboy mansion  
Gonna date a centerfold that loves to blow my money for me

(So how you gonna do it?)

I'm gonna trade this life for fortune and fame  
I'd even cut my hair and change my name

'Cause we all just wanna be big rockstars and  
Live in hilltop houses driving fifteen cars  
The girls come easy and the drugs come cheap  
We'll all stay skinny 'cause we just won't eat  
And we'll hang out in the coolest bars  
In the VIP with the movie stars  
Every good gold digger's gonna wind up there  
Every Playboy bunny with her bleach blonde hair  
And we'll hide out in the private rooms  
With the latest dictionary of today's who's who  
They'll get you anything with that evil smile  
Everybody's got a drug dealer on speed dial, well  
Hey, hey, I wanna be a rockstar

I'm gonna sing those songs that offend the censors  
Gonna pop my pills from a Pez dispenser  
Get washed-up singers writing all my songs  
Lip synch 'em every night so I don't get 'em wrong

Well we all just wanna be big rockstars  
And live in hilltop houses driving fifteen cars  
The girls come easy and the drugs come cheap  
We'll all stay skinny 'cause we just won't eat  
And we'll hang out in the coolest bars  
In the VIP with the movie stars  
Every good gold digger's gonna wind up there  
Every Playboy bunny with her bleach blond hair  
And we'll hide out in the private rooms  
With the latest dictionary and today's who's who  
They'll get you anything with that evil smile  
Everybody's got a drug dealer on speed dial,well

Hey, hey, I wanna be a rockstar.  
Hey, hey, I wanna be a rockstar.

**Chapter Dedication:**

**This goes out to xXxTylerxXx, Masu-chan (again! ;D), and Bianca Chang. Luvs u allllll! Kyu-kyu!**

* * *

**Chapter Eight: First Date…?**

**--**

_Naruto let out a groan as Sasuke ran his dull fingernails down the blonde's bare chest, grinding his hips against Naruto's in slow, dragged out circles._

"_God…..Sasuke," Naruto panted as he buried his hands in Sasuke's raven locks._

_Sasuke chuckled seductively and let his fingers travel lower down Naruto's waistband._

_Naruto gasped, then threw back his head and moaned._

_Sasuke smirked and leaned in, kissing Naruto's neck._

"_Ne Naruto," Sasuke breathed into the blonde's ear. "Have I told you that I want you?"_

"_Pfft," Naruto scoffed. "Only like five times, teme!"_

_Sasuke's eyes softened, and he kissed Naruto passionately on the lips, drawing a groan from the blonde beneath him._

_He broke the kiss and embraced Naruto tightly._

"_I love you, Naruto," he said. He rose as Naruto pushed against his chest, and his onyx eyes clashed with sapphire blue._

_Naruto smiled gently, then suddenly whipped up a tanned hand and smacked Sasuke clean across the face._

"_Wake up!" the blonde cried.

* * *

_

Sasuke's eyes snapped open as he felt a sting on his face, and he shot up in bed.

"The hell!?" he shouted when his eyes adjusted and he met the gaze of a pair of crimson red eyes.

"Hello Sasu-chan," Sasuke's brother Itachi said, tilting his head to one side and grinning.

Sasuke hissed and flopped back onto his bed, squashing his pillow over his face.

Itachi sighed.

"Always so dramatic," he said, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.

"Hn," Sasuke grumbled. "Why. Are. You. Here," he bit out, muffled a bit.

"What? Can't a big brother visit his sibling?" Itachi said in a mockingly hurt voice.

"Not when he's you," Sasuke grumbled.

"Fine. Okaasan sent me to spend the day with you to make sure you're doing alright."

"Hn."

There was a long pause.

"Who's Naruto?"

Sasuke's eyeballs practically ripped through his eyelids.

"What?" he said, trying to sound as calm as possible.

Itachi smirked.

"Mmm! Naru, mmm! Ah!" Itachi said dramatically, making panting noises and moaning.

Sasuke's face flushed red under his pillow.

"Aw, you're blushing under there, aren't you little brother?"

Damn him.

"You wouldn't happen to be talking about that famous model and actor, Naruto Uzumaki, would you?"

Damn him to hell and back.

"Hn. What time is it?" Sasuke said, trying to save his dignity."

"11:30."

"SHIT!"

Sasuke flew out of bed, took what seemed like a thirty second shower, dried his hair, whipped on a black shirt and jeans and zoomed out the door.

"_Damn! Stupidstupidstupid! I have to pick up Naruto in less than fifteen minutes! I must have slept through my alarm!"_ Sasuke thought as he mounted his motorcycle and pulled on his navy blue and black helmet.

As he zipped around the corner, Itachi exited his brother's house and blinked after him.

"….ok….."

* * *

"Ne Iruka, no need to drive me to anything today. You get a free day!" Naruto said as he made for the front door. He wore a simple black tee-shirt with a red fox on the front and a pair of tight skinny jeans ripped at the knees. 

Despite his simple attire, he still looked as adorably hot as ever.

"How will you get to your shoot and practice?" Iruka asked as he looked up from the table where he sat reading the paper and sipping coffee. "Your car is at the repair shop after all."

"It's courtesy of a friend of mine," Naruto said. He gave Iruka a grin and quick wink before slipped out the door.

"See ya!"

* * *

Sasuke constantly looked from the road to his watch as if trying to watch the seconds pass by. 

He had one minute left…one freaking minute before he was officially late!

Sasuke probed his mind for the directions to Naruto's house he had memorized, and made a left.

His breath hitched in his throat when he saw Naruto walking out of a ridiculously huge white pillar mansion surrounded by what seemed like a lush garden straight from the Amazon rainforest.

Sasuke passed through the open ivy twined gates to the mansion's circle driveway, skidding to a halt in front of Naruto.

* * *

Naruto blinked and had to keep his eyes from going wide when Sasuke pulled off his helmet and crashed his eyes against Naruto's sky-blue ones. 

Even though Sasuke wore nothing special, he looked as hot as hell on that motorcycle!

Naruto mentally slapped himself.

Work! He had to be more like Gaara and focus on work and push aside personal relationships!

* * *

Sasuke quickly drank in Naruto's lithe form and sparkling sapphire eyes framed by calm blonde spikes of hair before speaking. 

"Usuratonkachi," he scoffed.

"Teme," Naruto said, glaring half-heartedly.

"Your house is freaking huge," Sasuke said bluntly.

"Oh, yea…Jiraiya likes everything to be big and expensive," Naruto said, blushing and scratching the back of his head. "What about you? I'm going to ride on a motorcycle? That's…"

"I don't have a ton of money. You didn't expect me to pick you up in some big ass limo did-"

"AWESOME!!!"

Sasuke blinked as Naruto looked at the motorcycle and went starry-eyed.

"…what?" Sasuke said after a moment.

"This is so awesome Sasuke!" Naruto said excitedly. "I've always wanted to ride a motorcycle so badly, but Jiraiya would never let me because he thinks I'll kill myself!"

"Hn. No doubt about that," Sasuke said, earning him a cross between a pout and a glare from Naruto. (A strangely alluring combination when executed so flawlessly…)

"C'mon dobe, you're gonna be late," Sasuke said, revving the motorcycle as he slipped his helmet back on and handing another to Naruto.

Naruto grinned widely and grabbed the helmet from Sasuke, strapping it on and straddling the vehicle behind the Uchiha.

"You need to pull up your legs and grip me around my middle if you don't want to fly off," Sasuke said.

Naruto nodded and pulled up his legs as instructed. He meekly slipped his arms around Sasuke's middle, too nervous to notice the shiver that ran up the brunette's spine at his touch.

"You're going to need to hold on tighter than that dobe," Sasuke scoffed, revving his motorcycle.

"Pfft. Teme," Naruto said, not adjusting his grip.

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he gave the motorcycle gas and sped ahead, quickly going from zero to forty.

Naruto yelped and squeezed Sasuke around his middle.

Sasuke jumped, but quickly settled as the warmth from Naruto's body crept into his own.

Naruto blushed as Sasuke's scent of the winter wind invaded his senses, making him practically melt on the spot.

He blinked as buildings whizzed by, his feet only a mere foot from the speeding ground beneath him.

Naruto looked at Sasuke, his raven bangs spilling around his face under his helmet and a look of utter peace gracing his features.

Naruto smiled at how beautiful he looked, the rush of wind against his own skin making him feel a high of excitement that he had never experienced before.

"This is awesome!" Naruto cried over the roar of the cycle and wind, and hugged Sasuke tighter.

Sasuke blushed as a small smile spread over his face.

* * *

"Unununuunununun! WHERE IS HE UN!?" The blonde director cried, pacing on the set as he gripped his hair frantically. 

Ino rolled her eyes and looked back to the mirror she held in front of her face. She applied a layer of smooth, shining lip gloss to her lips, and puckered them at her reflection.

"_Today is my big make out scene with Naruto-sama!"_ she thought, her insides fluttering. _"I don't care if we're in front of the camera; I'm going to give Naruto-sama the best kissing session of his life, and then he'll instantly fall in love with me!"_

Ino went starry-eyed as she envisioned herself kissing Naruto, then pulling back to have him give her a dazzling smile before whisking her away to the nearest chapel to be married.

Jiraiya tapped his foot where he sat off of the set, glancing at his watch every now and then.

Where the hell was Iruka with Naruto!?

Deidara crumpled into a fetal position on the floor, rocking back and forth and sucking his thumb as one of the crew members named Tobi kneeled beside him, trying to comfort the poor director.

The doors to the set opened, and Deidara lifted his head hopefully.

"NARUTO-SAAAMA!" the man cried, running to the young model/actor and clinging to him.

Sasuke blinked and Naruto face-palmed.

"Your three minutes laaaaate!" Deidara sobbed on his shoulder.

Naruto sighed and patted Deidara's head.

"Were you doing an important shoot today or something?" Sasuke whispered to Naruto.

"No. He does this everyday."

"Hooooow can you say thaaaaat!?" Deidara wailed, gripping Naruto's shirt and looking at him with eyes the size of flying saucers.

"Um…because it's true?" Naruto said.

Deidara burst out crying again in that instant, and in a blonde blur he had retreated to his office and locked himself in.

"Not again," Naruto groaned, cursing under his breath as he made his way over to the office door. The rest of the cast and crew were totally unaffected, which Sasuke assumed meant that he really did do this _every day._

"Deidara-san," Naruto sighed, knocking on the door which emitted sniffles. "C'mon, it's only three minutes. We'll finish early to make up for it, ok?"

"You…..sniff…..promise?" a meek voice said from behind the door.

"Promise," Naruto said. In a flash the door swung open and Deidara pounced out.

"PLACES PEOPLE!" he shouted, and then cast and crew went scrambling for their bearings.

"Tobi! Get Naruto-sama into wardrobe! Zetsu, get those cameras ready! Hidan! Clean up all that blood you left from your stupid ritual!"

"JASHIN-SAMA WILL RULE YOU ALL SOMEDAY!!!"

"Oh shut up. Sasori! I need all stage props go! Itachi-"

Deidara blinked, and suddenly emitted a squeal, throwing the unstapled script he held into the air, sending it scattering everywhere, and zipped to the door.

"ITA-CHAN!!!" he cried, tackling the oldest Uchiha at the door.

Sasuke glared at his brother.

"_He wasn't kidding when he said he had to follow me around today,"_ he thought. _"Damn…what am I gonna do when Naruto and I go to the Cocoloco?"_

"ItaItaItaItaItaItachiiii!" Deidara cooed, cuddling against Itachi on the floor.

Itachi smiled and stood up, helping Deidara up with him.

"Hello Deidara-chan," he said, giving the eager blonde a peck on the cheek.

Deidara pouted.

"That's all I get from you after not seeing you for two weeks? A kiss on the cheek!?"

Deidara gasped as he was suddenly pushed up against the wall, his wrists pinned by Itachi's hands.

"Ne…Dei-chan…" Itachi whispered, leaning forward to Deidara's ear.

Deidara blushed.

"If I start now, I might not be able to stop," Itachi said, licking Deidara's earlobe. "So I'm saving _that_ for later."

Itachi pulled back and gave Deidara a soft kiss. He began to break away when Deidara fisted the front of his black shirt and pulled his lips back down so that they crashed together.

Sasuke's eye twitched as Deidara and Itachi slid down the wall and plunked on the floor again. He had remembered his brother saying something about how his boyfriend was famous…but he was the director!?

"Ready Deidara-san!"

Sasuke looked back to Naruto's dressing room and gaped.

Naruto wore a tight black shirt that became loose at his wrists, the front connected with red laces instead of buttons. The shirt met a pair of dark brown leather pants that extended down until they met knee high black lace boots. Naruto's hair was pulled back into a short ponytail, a few shards of golden hair escaping from the tie and framing his face naturally.

Sasuke blinked.

He searched Naruto's face for make-up, but found none. He was gorgeous without any smoke and mirrors at all…

Naruto walked over to Sasuke and smiled, leaning in so that his face was an inch from the brunette's.

"Like what you see Sasu-chan?" he said silkily, winking at a very red and flabbergasted Uchiha.

Naruto leaned back and laughed.

"Just kidding!" he said.

"_I wish he wasn't…"_ Sasuke thought as he forced down his blush.

Naruto paused as he saw Deidara being ravished by Itachi.

"Umm, Sasuke…why is another version of you making out with Deidara-san?" he asked.

"Hn," Sasuke said, crossing his arms. "My brother tagged along to see how I'm doing. Deidara is his boyfriend."

Naruto's eyebrows shot into his head.

"Wow…didn't see that coming," he said lamely.

"Naaaaaaruto-samaaa!"

Naruto was flung forward as Ino attached herself to Naruto's arm, herself wearing a blue top and black pants looped with a belt that had a dagger attached to it.

"Naruto-sama, we never spend any time together other than onstage! Let's go on a date!" she said in a high pitched fangirl voice.

Naruto cringed in disgust and Sasuke smirked.

Ino looked at Sasuke.

"Who's this Naruto-sama?" she asked, pressing against Naruto and brushing her lips against his neck.

Naruto winced as if in pain as he tried to shrug Ino off, and Sasuke grit his teeth, betting his Uchiha pride that she did this to him all the time.

"This is Sasuke, my fri-"

"Boyfriend."

"EH!?" Ino cried as Sasuke completed Naruto's sentence, Naruto himself blushing heavily and gaping at Sasuke.

"S-Sasuke!" Naruto said, bewildered. "You-"

Naruto gasped as Sasuke pulled him forward, and he crashed against the Uchiha's chest. Sasuke wrapped one arm around Naruto's waist and buried the other in his golden locks.

"I know, I promised not to tell, but it's wrong to lie, ne?" Sasuke said. Naruto gave him a wtf look, then grinned as he caught Sasuke's drift to get rid of Ino.

"Un," he said, burying his face in the crook of Sasuke's neck, the younger Uchiha shivering at the warmth of Naruto's breath on his skin.

Ino's mouth unhinged, opening and closing like a fish out of water as she tried to form words.

"Prove it!" she suddenly spouted, taking Naruto and Sasuke by surprise.

"Fine," Sasuke said. Naruto was about to give him another confused look when he felt a pair of soft lips upon his own, and his eyes widened.

Sasuke's kiss was probably the most gentle and delicate one Naruto had ever had in his entire life; sweet and assuring.

Naruto closed his eyes and began to kiss back, warmth filling him up and enveloping his insides like liquid fire.

He had felt this one a long time ago….but what was it?

Sasuke cupped Naruto's scarred cheeks with his hands as the blonde gripped the base of Sasuke's hair, stroking his fingers through the raven locks and twirling them around his tan fingers.

Sasuke licked the crease of Naruto's mouth timidly, requesting entrance.

Naruto did comprehend fully what was happening, but that feeling…that fire growing within him told him that this felt _right._ Even his heart and his mind were on the same page for once as he opened his mouth and let Sasuke's tongue slide in.

He groaned as Sasuke explored his mouth, rubbing his tongue against Naruto's teasingly before twining them together.

Sasuke stealthily placed his legs in between Naruto's pressing against his groin and making him groan.

"Hah…Sasu…" Naruto panted as Sasuke broke the kiss, moving down Naruto's neck as he ran one hand up and down Naruto's side and let the other travel up Naruto's shirt, feeling the soft dips the muscles on his sun-kissed chest made.

Naruto tried but couldn't hold back a louder moan as Sasuke bit the sensitive spot where his neck met his collar.

Naruto opened one eye.

"I-Ino is gone," he panted.

"Hn," Sasuke said, pulling away. _"Damn!"_ his inner self pouted

Naruto too felt a loss as Sasuke pulled away. His eyes clashed with the brunette's, before Naruto suddenly gave into his split second urge and reclaimed Sasuke's lips again.

Sasuke's eyes widened.

"_He…no one is around….does that mean he-"_

"NARUTO!"

Naruto pulled back quickly, blushing as he faced a tall man with long spiky white hair and bleeding red tattoos on his face. He impatiently twirled a cigarette in between his lips, his eyes narrowed at the blonde.

"Na-ru-to…" he bit out dangerously. He flicked his eyes to the Uchiha beside him.

"Who's this?" the man asked, taking out his cigarette to purposefully blow a puff of smoke in Naruto's face.

Naruto grimaced and bowed his head to avoid breathing in the smoke.

Sasuke curled his fist.

He hated smoking and could tell that Naruto did too.

Naruto looked at Sasuke, his eyes sad.

He bowed his head again.

"No one…" he said quietly. Sasuke gave him a hard look, which softened immediately when the blonde flicked his eyes to Sasuke, filled to the brim with apologies, and held the Uchiha's hand behind his back.

Sasuke almost smiled as he felt the warmth from Naruto's slender tan hand creep up his arm and lull his body into an utter state of calm.

"Oh really?" he man said, crossing his arms. "So this 'no one' drove you here? This 'no one's' brother is making out with the director? This 'no one' kissed you?! And you kissed him back!?"

Naruto winced as the man's words hit him like a brick wall. He looked up as something blocked him.

"S-Sasuke?" he stammered as Sasuke stood in front of him, glaring at the man.

"Why the hell is it any of your business what he does or doesn't do?" the brunette said.

"_Oh no,"_ Naruto thought as a flicker of emotion only Naruto could catch flashed across the man's face.

"I'm Jiraiya Sanin, Naruto's manager and father," Jiraiya said.

"_Jiraiya?"_ Sasuke thought. _"Naruto's adoptive father just like he said, ne?"_

"It doesn't matter. He's not 16. You have no right to tell him what to do," Sasuke said, glaring more.

"Actually I do. Maybe not anymore as his father, but as his manager I most certainly can."

Sasuke growled a bit and Jiraiya smiled smugly. He passed by Naruto, but not before saying, "We'll talk about this later."

Sasuke burned a hole in Jiraiya's back as he walked away to pull Deidara together.

Sasuke turned around to face Naruto, the blonde's eyes cast down to the floor sadly.

Sasuke cupped one side of Naruto's face, gently moving his head back up to look at him.

"Why do you listen to him?" he asked.

Naruto shook his head, pulling Sasuke's hand away from his face.

"He's my manager," Naruto said shrugging. "He knows best."

"Not for you he doesn't. Only _you_ know what is best fore you."

Naruto didn't respond.

"Are you in trouble?" Sasuke said.

"Yea," Naruto said. "Jiraiya is really sensitive on these types of things. He doesn't want me to get distracted from my work with any relationships-"

Naruto stopped and blushed.

"I-I mean friend-wise!" he said quickly. "I mean, we are friends, right Sasuke?"

Sasuke's heart dropped a bit but fluttered at the same time.

"Un," he said. "We're friends."

"_'Cause we all just wanna be big rockstars and live in hilltop houses driving fifteen cars. The girls come easy and the drugs come cheap. We'll all stay skinny 'cause we just won't eat..__."_

Naruto looked around when Tobi ran up to him, handing him his cell phone.

"_And we'll hang out in the coolest bars n the VIP with the movie stars. Every good gold digger's gonna wind up there, every Playboy bunny with her bleach blonde hair and well...hey, hey, I wanna be a rockstar."_

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the ringtone.

Oh the irony.

Naruto flipped over his phone and practically dropped it as what sounded like ten female voice screeched from it.

Naruto shook his head as he disconnected and typed in a number, holding it once again to his ear.

"Shika? No, I'm fine. Just wanted to tell you that I need another new number. Uh huh…..girls. I dunno, alot! Ok, thanks."

Naruto sighed as he handed the phone back to Tobi who had waited obediantly for Naruto to finish his call.

"Fangirls?" Sasuke asked, and Naruto nodded.

"They all keep finding my number somehow," he said. "I have to get a new one once every three weeks."

"Must be annoying."

"Yea, especially since half of my fans are teenagers."

"Why is that bad?"

"Teenagers scare the living shit out of me." (1)

* * *

**DA FIRST PERSON who can name the song, artist, and album that this line came from gets a free oneshot from me**** dedicated to them! I'll accept any of the following pairings and no others: sasunaru, nejinaru, shikanaru, shinonaru, kibanaru, sainaru, gaanaru, jiraiyaxtsunade, shinokiba, shikaneji, shikagaa, and nejigaa. NO OTHERS. If you're correct I'll PM you and tell you. You get to decide the situation or conflict. A oneshot of your creation written by the fox with blue eyes! ;3**

**Zomg! Jiraiya is sooooo mean! Wa! Sasunaru action! But what could Kiba be secretly planning to win or beloved blonde superstar's heart!? Here's a preview just to tease you all!**

_Sasuke turned his gaze to Naruto, the neon lights from the club making the blonde's hair to glow and his sapphire eyes seem deep and bottomless._

_"Naruto."_

_"Hm?" Naruto said, tilting his head cutely to one side to look at Sasuke._

_"Do you want to dance?"_

**BWAHAH****AHAHAAHAAAA! I torture youuuu ;b**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**

**Kyu-kyu!**


	9. Glomps and Nosebleeds and Kisses, Oh My!

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None! **

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Pleaz scuse the lack of update. I is feelin a bit depressed 'cause I'm considering breaking up with my boyfriend T.T**

**Gomi-kun: And you call **_**me**_** an emo.**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: TT.TT**

* * *

**Reviewer Replies (I gots so many reviewers my hand is hurting from typing !)-**

**To knute314: Arigatou! Yay, you was da winner! X3 Your oneshot will be out by Valentine's Day luv!**

**To Shadow Draconis: Thannk vuuu!**

**To Stoic-Genius: Yes I know, I made Jiraiya so mean, but he's protecting his adoptive son! It's all for teh fatherly luv! XD**

**To BitterSweet27: Will it be luv, or just lust? And what about Kiba!? Will he ruin everything!?!? Ahem…--shifty eyes—You didn't hear nuthin! Thank ye for teh loverly review! ;3**

**To Little Fox Kit: Wa! I'm sorry, I should have specified! I didn't mean the song at the beginning, but the last line of the chapter…gomen T.T**

**To Jadej.j: Arigatou!**

**To Sayo124: Sayo-chan……...I LUVED YOUR LONG REVIEW! –glomps to death—Longer reviews make me so happy, even if you are rambling XD Yes, Jiraiya is so overprotective, but it be his adoptive son! He must make sure that poor lil Naru doesn't end up on the cover of Crazy Celebs Magazine! Wa! Thank you for pointing out my mistake with the song by saying "anyone". I changed it to the first person, thank you! Lol! Jump in the car and speed away laughing like a maniac! Lol! That's totally what Naru should do! XD And yes, I feel extremely special for your long review! ;3**

**To SakuraKissy: Yatta!**

**To Catat: Wow! I was just joking when I said to say kyukyu and immaemo above! But wow, thanks! Gomi-kun: ….what she said. I'm not emo. Sky-eyed Kitsune: EMO!**

**To TheLightsShadow: What I said above to Catat applies here too. I was joking but thank you soooo much! Lovely review!**

**To moonlit dew: Listen up now, cuz I'm only gonna say it one more time. You listenin? Put your ear to your laptop if you need to! I. LOVE. YOUR. REVIEWS. They will never bug me or get annoying! Neverrrrrr! I'm gonna cry if I never get another review from one of my favie reviewers. T.T (I means that btw. you so loyal to all my fics!) Arigatou!**

**To Joni-Lee: You have the SPIRIT OF YOUTH FOR TEH SASUNARUNESS!!! –coughs—ahem…un…..**

**To BeneathSecrets: Why did I give her hope? Because I luuuuv to crush her spirits! XD I so mean**

**To Bianca Chang: Lol! Thank youuu! I studied English for three years on my own in high school and took some classes, and after graduating I continued to study and I traveled to America a couple of times to see how it sounded. If you spoke to me on the phone, you'd swear I was American! Lol! XD Gomi-kun used to live in Florida actually before he came to Japan. Now he translates all of my stories that are slowly turning him gay. ;3 Gomi-kun: O.o**

**To shadowphoenix143: Sasuke is so oblivious, lol! Jiraiya is only protecting his son from the dangers of the paparazzi! Nuuu! XD**

**To SUPER LJOMI: Yay for the sasunaruness!!! XD Hotter dreams, ne? Hmm…possibly!**

**To Samantai: Oh sry, ignore it! I forgot to put a one down by the bottom of the page after the song line to correspond with the oneshot contest. Sry, and arigatou!**

**To Akuryou-x: Of course! Lovely reviews deserve recognition! ;3**

**To Dark Mican: Sry, next chappie is the club dance! I wanted to put that in here, but if I did this chapter would be insanely looong! Gomi-kun: --blinks— Hi.**

**To Scapegrace: I luuuv that song. Thanks for the review! (Naru's ringtone is Rockstar…yay!)**

**

* * *

**

**Inspiring songs for chapters will be posted here. ;3**

**None today!**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Dedication: SO many lovely reviewers! I try to pick three people per chappie to dedicate to, and this is sooo hard now! X(**

**This is for Sayo124, TheLightsShadow, and Scapegrace. Thanks to all my other reviewers whom I didn't reply to as well, but my hand is so very tired and the story must go on!**

* * *

**Chapter Nine: Glomps and Nosebleeds and Kisses, Oh My!**

Sasuke curled his fist as he watched Naruto wrap his arms around Ino and nuzzle her neck on the set.

How many freaking times did they have to do this scene!?

Of course, Tobi being the idiot he was had to trip over every single wire and unplug the cameras and lights at least five times. If this scene wasn't over soon, Sasuke thought he was going to have to attack that blonde bitch on the stage.

Deidara didn't seem to happy about it either, as it was a waste of the time he could have been having with Itachi, and had duck-taped Tobi to a chair……just to make sure nothing happened.

Ino was on cloud nine as her lips met Naruto's in a hard kiss, and she practically melted.

Sasuke smirked when he saw Naruto cringe in disgust through the kiss.

The cameras were steady and zoomed around for different views as Naruto pinned Ino down to the floor.

"And….cut! Perfect Naruto-sama!" Deidara said proudly, and Naruto was off of Ino in an instant.

"Thanks Dei-mmf!"

Naruto's words were muffled as Ino suddenly tackled him back to the ground and kissed him harshly, forcing her way into his mouth and stripping him of his shirt.

"HELP!!!" Naruto shouted as Ino broke for air but quickly reattached her lips to his.

Shikamaru and Chouji (who had arrived an hour prior) flew to Naruto's side along with Sasuke, ripping the girl off of the poor blonde.

Sasuke helped Naruto up and instinctively placed an arm around his shoulders, holding him close and protectively.

"Are you ok?" Sasuke asked, looking at the superstar.

Naruto nodded. He seemed dazed, but unharmed.

"I-I'm fine…" Naruto said.

He pulled away from Sasuke, and his legs suddenly gave way. Sasuke caught Naruto quickly, helping him back up to his feet again.

"Sasuke-san!"

Sasuke turned to face a bit of a stressed Deidara.

"Could you help Naruto-sama calm down a bit?" he asked. "His dressing room is right over there."

Sasuke nodded as he placed one of Naruto's arms around his shoulders and guided him across the room.

"Ok people, you're dismissed," Deidara sighed, then shot a glare at Ino before he turned his back on her only to run into Itachi's chest.

"I-I-Ita-kun!" Deidara said, surprised.

"Ne, Dei-chan…" Itachi said huskily into his boyfriend's ear. "You look tense. Which way is your office again?"

* * *

Sasuke wasn't surprised at how huge Naruto's dressing room was. After all, he was the star! 

Sasuke helped Naruto over to the plush navy couch, and Naruto let out a sigh.

"Gomen…" he said softly, looking to the ground.

"What was that all about?" Sasuke asked as he sat down next to Naruto, genuinely concerned.

"I guess that being alone in the orphanage alone for so long made me a more timid person. Whenever I get surrounded by a big crowd of people I don't know or someone is trying to physically force me to do something, I get a weird reaction. My body kind of…shuts down, and I sometimes pass out."

"Like that first day I met you at the studio?"

"Yea…"

Naruto gasped as he was suddenly pulled forward and he landed softly against Sasuke's firm chest.

"Are you ok being close to someone……like this?" Sasuke asked softly.

Naruto looked up to Sasuke, and their eyes locked.

Naruto felt his own eyes fall a little as he lost himself in Sasuke's gentle gaze. Sasuke cupped one side of Naruto's face and edged their faces forward more.

"As long as….that person…." Naruto whispered, his breath rippling over Sasuke's lips lightly. "Is someone……I trust…or……love."

Sasuke felt his heart freeze in his chest, but he kept on his cool exterior façade.

"Which one is it in this case?" Sasuke asked, brushing his lips against Naruto's.

Naruto closed his eyes and leaned into Sasuke's touch.

"Bo-"

"Naruto!"

Naruto blinked as his name was called outside of his dressing room and the door was practically knocked down.

"It's 4:30! You need to be at Sungakure Studios by five for the shoot!"

Naruto made a hand puppet and moved its mouth up and down to the speed of Jiraiya's nagging. Sasuke chuckled a bit at Naruto's childish antics.

"Un, I hear ya," Naruto called back. "I'll meet you there with Sas-"

"Don't you dare even _think_ that you're about to ride that motorcycle with Uchiha again!"

"I think I am. I gave Iruka the day off and my car is in the shop. Unless you want me riding with you that is…"

Jiraiya gulped as he remembered a sixteen year old Naruto ripping up the seats in his limo and uncapping every bottle of a-thousand-dollars-per-pop wine he had on the rack.

The white-haired man involuntarily shivered.

"Fine! Just be there on time dammit!"

Naruto smirked as he heard Jiraiya's footsteps fade angrily.

"Do I even want to know?" Sasuke asked, confused.

Naruto laughed and shook his head.

Sasuke's breath hitched as Naruto suddenly pulled Sasuke into a hug, wrapping his arms around his neck.

"Arigatou, Sasuke," he said quietly.

"For what?" Sasuke said, timidly hugging Naruto back before completely embracing him.

"For putting up with my life."

"Dobe. It's not your fault that you live a hectic life."

"But doesn't it get on your nerves? What with my security guards, Jiraiya, the paparazzi, the-mmf!"

Naruto's rant was cut off as Sasuke pulled back and pressed his lips against the blond's.

"Let me say this loud and clear," Sasuke said, smiling slightly. "I. Don't. Care."

Naruto's breath hitched as Sasuke met his lips again softly.

Sasuke ran one hand up and down Naruto's back, kissing him gently as his other hand rested at the superstar's waist.

Naruto's heart skipped a beat and his body became instantly hot.

"_Wha…what's happening?"_ Naruto thought, shock and comfort battling a fervent war in his head. _"Sasuke, he…I…why don't I pull away? Why does this feel…so…right?"_

Naruto had never been one to date many people, even when he wasn't famous. His first relationship was during the times when he was stumbling through his early adolescence as he entered freshman year.

He wasn't a mute anymore, but somehow around crowds it seemed that way. He didn't want to talk as no one seemed to care what he said, and so in return he didn't bother to listen.

He met a girl named Hinata, who was also extremely shy and, finding a match in their timid personalities, got together. About two months later Naruto had called it off. He had cared for Hinata as a friend and maybe even a sister, but couldn't even from the beginning force himself to love her the way she loved him. In fact, Naruto was so uncertain that he had only ever given her a kiss on the cheek, and nothing more.

Naruto ran one hand through Sasuke's hair, caressing the silken raven locks under his fingertips lovingly.

Sasuke groaned a bit at Naruto's soft touch, and he pressed into the kiss more.

Naruto's heart jumped into his throat as Sasuke's tongue swiped the crease of his lips, asking for entrance. Naruto complied, shyly opening his mouth to let Sasuke's tongue roam freely. He let out a soft moan when Sasuke entwined his tongue with his own and moved his hand from the blonde's back to massage the golden skin under his shirt.

Naruto edged closer to Sasuke as he moved one hand down the raven's covered lean chest.

A rush that Sasuke had never felt before zipped through his body like liquid fire before calming into gentle waves of warmth. He savored the feeling, Naruto's sweet addictive taste coinciding with the warmth spreading throughout him.

He broke for air and rested his forehead against Naruto's, their half lidded eyes meeting.

"_What…what's happening to me?" _Sasuke thought

"_Why do I feel so…weird?"_ Naruto also thought. He ran his hand delicately up Sasuke's chest, his fingers trailing a line over the raven's neck before resting a palm on his pale cheek. Sasuke's eyes fluttered closed at the sweet sensation of Naruto's touch, and he leaned into it a bit.

"_It feels like I'm having my first crush again…only…" _Naruto felt his gaze soften even more as he stared at Sasuke's utterly tranquil face, feeling the soft moonlit bathed skin beneath his fingertips. "_…god it feels so much stronger. Do I…?"_

Sasuke leaned down to the crook of Naruto's neck, kissing it softly as if the slightest touch would make the blond disappear.

"Mnn…Sasuke….." Naruto purred as Sasuke kissed lower and sucked on his neck, nibbling it every so often.

His breath hitched in a small whine as Sasuke's tongue flicked over the red spot he had made, the muscle trailing hot saliva along his skin.

"Neh….S-Sas-"

"ITACHI!!!"

Sasuke and Naruto both blinked.

Sasuke looked up at Naruto to find that their faces of confusion matched each other.

"What…was that?" Sasuke said slowly, when Naruto suddenly groaned and smacked a hand to his forehead.

"Damn…" he hissed. "I forgot. Deidara-san's office is right next to my room."

Sasuke's eye twitched.

"Does…does that mean-"

"AH NNN! I-ITACHI! H-HARDER! UNNNNN!"

"Yes," Naruto said flatly, his face flushing red.

Sasuke cleared his throat as grunts echoed through the wall, and the two of them sat there in an awkward silence.

"So……" Naruto started. "Um….how about you go pull up your motorcycle while I change?"

"GODS ITACHI!"

Sasuke was in the parking lot in a millisecond.

* * *

"NARUTO-KUUUUUUUN!" 

Naruto had the air crushed out of him as a blur of black and green tackled him to the ground, and Sasuke blinked.

"MY LOVELY, LOVELY FLOWER NARUTO-SAMA!" a young man Naruto and Sasuke's age cried as he swung around Naruto. "THE GARDEN OF YOUTH HAS BEEN WILTED DURING THE TIME I HAVE NOT HELD YOU, BUT YOU HAVE BROUGHT EVERYTHING BACK TO LIFE ALONG WITH MY HEART!"

Sasuke looked at Naruto's bodyguards in the corner, wondering why they weren't doing anything when there was a crazed fan practically strangling the blonde! In fact, the whole studio didn't even seem to care!

Sasuke growled and wrestled Naruto away from the green clad young man with a bowl cut, standing in front of him defensively.

"Calm down Sasuke," Naruto said.

"Calm down? You were just attacked by a crazed fan and no one is doing anything about it," Sasuke argued, and Naruto laughed.

"That's no crazed fan!" he chuckled, moving from behind Sasuke to stand beside the young man with the bowl cut.

"Sasuke, meet my photographer, Lee."

"GREETINGS MY YOUTHFUL FRIEND!" Lee cried, flashing Sasuke a thumbs-up.

Sasuke's eye twitched as Naruto dragged him away to the modeling set.

"Yea…he's a little…weird…" Naruto mumbled.

"You aren't dating him, are you?" Sasuke asked, and Naruto burst out laughing.

"No way! Lee may have a major crush on me, but I'd _never_ date my photographer!"

"So…are you dating anyone at all?" Sasuke asked timidly, blushing a bit.

"N-no, not right now," Naruto said nervously, caught off guard by Sasuke's question.

"Oh…"

"NARUTO-SAMA!"

"Not again," Sasuke groaned, and Naruto laughed.

"Actually, this time it's not so bad," he said as the two of them walked up to what looked like an older version of Lee.

"Ready to roll Naruto-sama?" he said, flashing a thumbs-up and huge grin.

"Sure thing!" Naruto said, smiling as he turned to Sasuke. "Sasuke, this is Maito Guy, the head of photography in the studio. Lee is his pupil."

"Indeed! The flame of youth burns in you young sir! I can feel it!" Gai shouted, waves and sparkles suddenly appearing behind him as he struck a pose.

"Any other…_interesting_ people I should know about?" Sasuke whispered to Naruto, who laughed again.

"Only one," he said, and pointed to the second floor where a large black door could be seen.

"My manager and one of my best friends, Garra Sabaku."

Sasuke's eyebrows shot into his head.

"_The_ Gaara Sabaku?" he said, and Naruto grinned.

"Un! He's a bit emo, but you get used to it. He's going to watch the shoot today to make sure all models are on their top game."

"N-Naruto-sama…"

Naruto turned to a girl with dark blue hair skin to Sasuke's and white, almost translucent eyes.

"Hey Hinata-chan!" he said, and the girl blushed and looked down as she held a brown clipboard against the lower half of her face.

"Y-you're expected i-i-in wardrobe Naruto-s-sama…"

"Oh, ok!" Naruto said, waving to Sasuke as he headed for a room labeled _"Model's only beyond this point"._

"A-are you a friend o-of Naruto-sama's?" Hinata asked Sasuke, removing the clipboard from her face.

"Un," Sasuke said. "I'm just here to watch the shoot."

"A-alright. Please stay s-seven feet fr-rom the set when the s-shoot is t-taking place p-please…"

Sasuke nodded and Hinata left to head up to the second floor.

He listened to the music playing throughout the studio as people worked and passed him by for a few minutes.

"Narutoooo-samaaaa! Are you ready love?" Lee cooed happily, knocking on the door that Naruto had almost just walked into.

"Un!" Naruto said, and Sasuke raised an eyebrow. The dobe was fast!

Naruto stepped out and Sasuke choked on air.

It must have been a punk theme, as Naruto was wearing tight black skinny jeans riding low on his hips, orange and black checkered fans, and a silver chain on his left side. His shirt was black, taut around his thin frame and lifting up a bit at the bottom to reveal some of his tanned stomach. The sleeves that ended had a loop on one side that his thumbs hooked into, his dull nails painted jet black. Around his neck was a black collar studded silver, and two silver hoops in the cartilage of each of his ears. His hair fell around his face in golden sheets of silk, illuminating his sparkling azure eyes and the whisker marks on his cheeks. His eyes were defined by black eyeliner, giving him a colder but at the same time gorgeous gaze.

"Whaddaya think?" Naruto said as he walked up to Sasuke, grinning.

Sasuke didn't respond as his eyes scanned up and down Naruto's body, and he felt all of the blood rush to his face.

Naruto blushed when he realized that Sasuke was staring.

"Uh…Sasuke?" he said, waving a hand in front of the raven's eyes.

"Hn?" Sasuke finally said, blinking and snapping out of his trance.

"I just asked-"

"Naruto-sama my lovely flower! It's your time to shine!" Lee cried, practically flinging the blonde onto the set.

Naruto caught himself as he almost fell from Lee's forceful pull.

"We need these pictures finished and out by next Tuesday."

Naruto looked up at the new voice and grinned.

"Gaara! I didn't think you would come!" he said.

Sasuke shifted his gaze to the stoic redhead and, seeing as he was no threat to Naruto, nodded to him when their gaze met.

Gaara nodded back and turned his attention back to Naruto and waved his hand as a signal to continue.

Sasuke shifted where he stood as a new song began to play in the studio.

"_I hold on so nervously to me and my drink; I wish it was cooling me."_

Sasuke's eyes practically fell out of his head as Naruto hooked his thumbs on the rim of his pants, pulling them down more to reveal a thin stretch of his tan stomach, and he tilted his head and looked at the camera with a half-lidded, cold gaze.

"_But so far has not been good. It's been shitty and I feel awkward as I should."_

Lee snapped the camera like crazy as Gai directed Naruto to tilt his head or part his legs. Sasuke felt his lower regions become tight as he fought down the bulge in his pants.

"_This club had got to be the pretentious thing since I thought you and me."_

Sasuke looked around to see three more male models, two of which he recognized from his first incident with Naruto, were having the same problem as well as one of Naruto's bodyguards. Even Lee, snapping away like a maniac, whimpered a bit and shifted as his pants visibly became tighter.

"_Well I am imagining a dark lit place or your place or my place."_

Sasuke bit his lip as Naruto ran a hand through his hair and slid down the set wall, his shirt slowly riding up his chest as he did so.

He looked over to Gaara, and saw that he was amazingly not affected by Naruto's performance at all.

"_He must be used to it,"_ Sasuke thought.

One of the models cursed under their breath and ran into the next available room to take care of his "problem", and Sasuke wished he could do the same.

"If you have something you need to attend to, then I suggest the other room," Gaara said, suddenly beside Sasuke in an instant.

"Hn," Sasuke said. "I'm fine."

Gaara raised a nonexistent eyebrow.

"Down there begs to differ," he said.

* * *

"BRILLIANT AS ALWAYS NARUTO-SAMA!" Gai cried, tears of youth spouting from his eyes. 

Naruto scratched the back of his head and blushed, and Lee let out a fangirl squeal.

Sasuke, by some inhuman force, had been able to survive Naruto's performance. It was about eight o'clock now, and as far as Sasuke knew, he could finally go to the Cocoloco with Naruto.

He walked up to the blond, feeling his temperature rise as he neared him.

"Are you done for the day?" he said, and Naruto grinned weakly.

"Un. But I have to get away from Jiraiya without him noticing," he said quietly.

Sasuke looked around and spotted his brother chatting with Gaara in a corner.

"I have an idea."

* * *

"Are you sure he's there?" 

Jiraiya paced the floor of his home, fuming as he held his cell phone to his ear.

"_Un! Naruto-sama wanted to talk with me about the script, and run a few scenes by me that he's unsure about, un,"_ Deidara said on the other line, and Jiraiya sighed.

"Alright, fine. Make sure he comes back in by midnight, ok?"

"_Un!"_

Jiraiya turned off his phone and dialed another number.

No _way_ did he believe that shit for a second.

"Shikamaru. Where are you now?"

"_With Naruto at Deidara's. He's running over the script,"_ Shikamaru said lazily, and Jiraiya raised an eyebrow.

"Oh…I see. Alright then, make sure he's back by midnight."

"_Will do."

* * *

_

Shikamaru snapped his phone shut and laid his head back down on a certain redhead's lap in his office, grinning stupidly.

"Like that Gaa-chan?" he slurred, running one hand through Gaara's hair.

Gaara nodded.

"Who wush that dude anyway?" Shikamaru said, taking another swig of the sake he held in his hand that dangled from the couch.

"No one," Gaara said. He looked over at his glass case of imported sake, once full and prideful, currently half empty.

"_Naruto…"_ Gaara thought as Shikamaru giggled in his lap. _"…I'm taking 4,752 dollars out of your paycheck."

* * *

_

**The club! What will happen when Naruto and Sasuke are finally alone at the Cocoloco!? (I gives you a hint mmkay? Check the bottom of chapter eight where a preview of the next chapter is!) Wa! Teh drama!!! –faints—**

**Oh yea- go to my profile and vote for which of my fics you would like to see updated next since Love Me Not won the last poll. There's a new one out, so vote for teh sasunaruness of your choosing and I'll update ASAP! ;3**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**

**Kyu kyu!**


	10. Thorns without a Rose

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None! **

**2****nd**** Disclaimer: I don't own any songs mentioned in this fic! **

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: -I uh…really dun have an excuse for being so lazy with my updates…**

**Gomi-kun: For once no excuses.**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: I don't know why, but lately I've been making all my fics take some really depressing turns. X( I so cruel… **

**Reviewer Replies**

**To Scapegrace: You deserved the dedication for such a lovely review! And thank you very much. My writing has kind of a weird flow…but I like it! :D Ah, that is the question: when will they hook up? Definitely not in this chapter! X(**

**To shadowphoenix143: I would throw a rebellion…but I have nothing to rebel over! Lol! You gotta love jealous Sasuke, and punk!Naruto is hot!**

**To Joni-Lee: Wa! Arigatou! I can't believe that people think I write well! It's so great to hear!**

**To knute314: I think you might be disappointed in this chappie if you were searching for some refreshing lemonade…T.T But there's a nice hearty plate of angst for you there instead!**

**To Dreamergirl667: Yes, we must punish Ino with a smexy make out scene!! Wa! Happy (very) belated birthday dreamer-san! flings cake**

**To cluelessninja65: Oi, poor Naruto having to hear his director and Sasu's bro go at it…ewwwwww…….but from a fangirl side it's hot, ne? And drunk Shika is always a nice spin since he's so calm and collected! ;3**

**To RavenToriBlack and lightdark54: Thanks very much!**

**To SangoStar: Well before I wrote this I had ready fics with Sasuke as the rich, famous, and stuck up one, but why not Naru!? REVOLT!! :grabs pitchfork:**

**To mad hatter 1712: Well you know what they say, you can't have just one drink! ;3**

**To The LightsShadow: :huggles back: sorry for the wait! And thanks, I'm feeling better. I actually broke up with my boyfriend on Valentine's Day, and it was very emotional. T.T Since then I've been going out with this new guy named Kuro, for a couple months, but somethin just doesn't feel right, y'know? Wa! Look at my blabbering…gomen! And thank ye for teh loverly review!**

**To SakuraKissy: You're asking me? Oh wait, I'm the author…:s Er…who wants muffins!?**

**To prideandprejudice: Thanks! I wanted an uncommon couple tat wasn't totally bogus either, so shikagaa doesn't seem to bad, ne?**

**To moonlit dew: Actually I thought that make out scenes were my weak point, but I guess not! Thanks as always for the lovely review moonlit-chan! ;3**

**To RuByMoOn17: Indeed! XD**

**To no name: Thank you very much! I wasn't gonna include Itachi before, but I though oh what the hell!**

**To Stoic-Genius: Thanks very much!! Gaara said that at the end about deducting Naruto's pay because Shikamaru drank all of his expensive prized wine! XD**

**To IOnlyHaveYou: I think you'll be surprised!**

**To Dizzykins: Here you are! Sorry for the delay!**

**To Second Storey Stairwell: Thanks Stairwell-san! And keep it up with 'Letters' too! It's getting better and better! ;3**

**To Sayo124: Sayo-san! O.o Looong review…I LUV IT!! Dei-kun, I loves him so much! Un! I actually just recently got into itadei, so I threw it in with the story for some extra smexy goodness! Aw, thank you so much! My fic enjoys being huggled cause everyone huggles me instead of it. T.T Poor fic…:pats fic: I know, I LUV punk Naru. So hott… X) I like the song Paralyzer…un…huggles to you for your lovely review! (Zomg, that rhymed! O.o) **

**Chapter Dedication: So many lovely, lovely, lovely reviewers! This one is for Joni-Lee, Stoic-Genius, and Dreamergirl667! Luv you all! You keep my will to write smexy yaoiness alive!! :huggles all reviewers: Yosh! **

**Chapter Ten: Thorns without a Rose**

Naruto grinned as the wind whipped over his skin and chilled his body, the adrenaline rushing through him coinciding with the warmth that radiated around his arms.

He laughed and hugged Sasuke's middle more tightly as the raven maneuvered his motorcycle around a particularly sharp turn.

Sasuke felt a blush rise to his cheeks, and he couldn't help but smile at Naruto's laughing. A real laugh, not a fake, acted out one for the cameras. It was a genuine laugh.

And it was just for him.

* * *

Naruto frowned as the Cocoloco came into view and Sasuke swung into a parking space.

The motor rumbled to a stop and the raven removed his helmet and placed his foot down on the ground as a makeshift kickstand, still sitting atop the bike.

"Dobe, we're here," Sasuke said when Naruto didn't move.

Naruto whined a bit and gripped his arms around Sasuke more tightly, burying his face in the crook of his neck.

Sasuke felt the blood rush to his face, and he swore he felt a pair of lips press against his skin.

"Naruto?" he said, and regretted speaking almost immediately as Naruto hopped off of the motorcycle and the blond's warmth left Sasuke immediately.

"Sorry," Naruto said, scratching his head sheepishly. "I was kind of in a daze, y'know?"

Sasuke nodded and swung his leg over and off his vehicle.

* * *

"Naruto! What're you doin' here?"

Naruto grinned as he approached Genma, tugging Sasuke with him to the front of the line of what must have been two hundred people.

"Just here to shake off a little stress," Naruto said, flashing his million dollar smile at the brunette.

"Whatever will make you come visit us more!" Genma said. He raised an eyebrow when he noticed Sasuke behind the blond.

"Who's the stalker?" he asked, and Sasuke bristled.

"This is Sasuke," Naruto said.

"Hmm, Sasuke….Sasuke…" Genma said, flipping the toothpick in his mouth left and right as his eyes searched his clipboard.

"Nope! No Sasuke! Sorry Naru but your date is gonna have to wait outside!" he said, a sarcastic grin on his lips.

"H-he's not my date!" Naruto sputtered, a blush reaching under his whiskered cheeks.

"Dobe," Sasuke said, and Naruto grew redder.

"Teme!"

"Whoa, whoa, easy there love birds," Genma said as he unclipped the velvet rope to the club, ignoring Naruto's cursing. "Go on, get your asses outta here."

Naruto huffed as he grabbed Sasuke's wrist and tugged him into the club with him.

"Have fun with your boyfriend Naru-chaaaan!" Genma cooed after.

He chuckled as Naruto flipped him off.

* * *

"_Please don't stop the music."_

Sasuke placed a hand over his eyes as the strobe lights blinded him and music banged through his ears.

"_Please don't stop the music."_

He gripped Naruto's hand tightly as they entered the swarm of swaying bodies thick with sweat and hot with pleasure.

"_It's gettin' late. I'm making my way over to my favorite place. I gotta get my body movin' shake the stress away."_

Naruto looked back at Sasuke and grinned as he tugged him forward up a set of stairs littered with dancing people.

"_I wasn't' looking for nobody when you looked my way. Possible candidate, yea."_

They reached the second floor and Sasuke thought he would suffocate from the mass of perspiring bodies closing in around him.

"_Who knew that you'd be up in here lookin' like you do."_

Naruto glanced back at Sasuke, grinned, and Sasuke saw his lips move but no sound seemed to come out over the roaring music.

Sasuke decided that some response was better than none, and he nodded dumbly to the blond who lead him forward.

"_Do you know what you started? I just came here to party, and now we're rockin' on the dance floor acting naughty. Your hands around my waist, just let the music play."_

Naruto guided Sasuke up yet another set of stairs, arms flailing and hips swaying this way and that. But this time at the top of the steps was what looked like an opening to an elevator. Beside it to the left was a card slot, above it on a small screen were the words, _"Insert ID"._

Naruto rummaged in his pocket, pulled out his wallet, and took his driver's license out from the right pocket. He slid it into the machine, and the screen flickered. A moment later Naruto's license was spit back out, and the screen flashed, _"Welcome Naruto-sama"._

Naruto grabbed his ID as the doors slid open, revealing not an elevator but another dance floor with a bar at the back. It was less crowded and loud, but just as wild with dancers.

"Dobe, where are we?" Sasuke said.

Naruto tipped his head back and grinned, the neon lights illuminating his golden locks against his form fitting black tee-shirt and ripped skinny jeans. (The only outfit he had with him before sneaking out to the club.) Around his waist his silver studded belt glistened, a thin line of delectable tan skin revealed just above it, unhindered by the snug shirt.

Sasuke couldn't deny that the dobe was beautiful inside and out.

"This is a special section of the club," Naruto said. "Basically celebrities only. It's not as suffocating and you won't get manhandled and groped like crazy up here. Plus no one will gripe at me for autographs here."

Sasuke looked around at the plush couches in the corner, lavish bar to the back, and the glowing dance floor populated with celebrities drunk off dancing.

"C'mon teme!"

Before Sasuke knew what had happened he found himself thrown on the dance floor, the blond swaying to the music in front of him.

Sasuke blink a few times before letting his body take over, and he too began to fall under the contagious rhythm.

Naruto watched how Sasuke's hair flowed around his pale, almost porcelain like face, painting the air around him with black brushes of locks shining blue against the lights. His body moved smoothly in his tight black jeans and navy button up, flowing with the melody that played.

The beat picked up as a new song began, and Naruto bit his lip as his mind grew brave.

Sasuke gasped as something gripped his waist, and he felt himself clash with another body. He got over the shock quickly to realize that it was Naruto that had pulled them against each other.

"Dob-"

Sasuke stopped in mid-insult as Naruto pressed his hips against his own and moved them in slow, dragged out circles.

He almost groaned as Naruto's movements took up the beat of the song, grinding their hips together faster.

Sasuke placed his hands on Naruto's hips as he threw caution out the window and also began to move.

Naruto rested his arms on Sasuke's shoulders as the raven quickened his pace to match the blond's until they were perfectly in sync with the music, their hips meshing and grinding against each other erotically.

They bent their knees and swayed a bit as their skin instantly became hotter, eyes locked.

A small smirk played upon Sasuke's lips as he mouthed the first words of the song now playing.

"_I ain't got no money. I ain't got no car to take you on a date. I can't even buy you flowers, but together we'd be the perfect soul mates."_

Sasuke leaned his lips down to Naruto's ear.

"_Talk to me…"_

Naruto almost lost all of his sanity as Sasuke's lips brushed against his ear, and he was amazed that he could keep his hips oscillating.

He grinned as Sasuke pulled away and maintained his movements against the blond.

Sasuke wanted to get brave, did he?

Game on.

Naruto lip sang the next part of the lyrics.

"_Oh baby, it's all right now you ain't gotta flaunt for me. Even if we go Dutch, you can still touch my love, it's free. We can work without the perks just you and me. Thug it out 'til we get it right."_

Naruto pressed against Sasuke's groin to the point of almost thrusting as he continued.

"_Baby if you strip you can get a tip 'cause I like you just the way you are."_

Sasuke swallowed all surprise and met Naruto's thrusts at full force as he moved his lips to the lyrics.

"_I'm about to strip and I'm well equipped. Can you handle me the way I are?"_

Naruto moved a hand down from Sasuke's neck to the hem of his jeans, and he hooked one thumb on its inside.

"_I don't need the cheese or the car keys boy, I like you just the way you are."_

Sasuke leaned his face in close to Naruto's as they both mouthed the song together this time.

"_Let me see you strip, you could get a tip, cause I like you just the way you are."_

Sasuke lost himself in the sky blue expanse of Naruto's eyes lit up in the darkness, and he felt himself draw closer to the blond as his lips hovered over the superstar's.

Naruto felt his eyes drop to half mast, not even realizing that his and Sasuke's bodies had stopped moving though the song continued, captivated by Sasuke's cool onyx eyes.

Sasuke dipped his head down at the smallest incline, and he felt his lips brush against Naruto's.

"Naruto…" he breathed. "I-"

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke blinked and realized that Naruto was no longer in front of him.

He turned and looked around through the river of swaying bodies, hoping to catch a glimpse of a bright blond shock of hair.

* * *

Gaara sighed as Shikamaru emptied his last bottle of champagne imported from Peru, setting the bottle on the table clumsily with a hiccup.

"Well now that you've finished desecrating my wine cabinet and are successfully smashed to high heaven, how about you go home?" Gaara said, moving from the couch to sit at his desk.

Shikamaru picked himself up halfway from the sofa and looked over at the redhead as he sifted through the papers scattered haphazardly over his mahogany desk.

Gaara gasped as his chair was suddenly spun around and he found himself face-to-face with Shikamaru, his lips actively captured between the brunette's.

Shikamaru kissed Gaara fervently, tasting as much of him as he could before he was shoved off.

And sure enough, ten seconds later, Garra pushed Shikamaru away.

"Stop," Gaara said sternly though a pink blush dusted his pale cheeks. "You can't keep doing this. You're drunk. If you want to tell me how you feel, then say it to my face when you're sober."

Shikamaru sighed and leaned against the back of the couch.

"I can't," he said.

Gaara raised an invisible eyebrow.

"I'm too scared."

"Of what?"

"You turnin' me down."

Gaara sighed.

"Do you really think I would reject you if _I'm _the one who actually told you to confess to me when you're sober?"

Shikamaru blinked as he stared at Gaara, his mouth agape a bit. Gaara turned his eyes down to the floor, blushing a bit.

"Then…I have something to tell you," Shikamaru said.

Gaara watched as he leaned down on his hands and knees and placed a hand under the couch, and swept it forward.

Gaara's eyes widened as he saw at least eleven bottles of the imported wine from his cabinet roll out from under the sofa, still full and unopened.

"The truth is…I'm not really drunk," Shikamaru said, standing up. "While you went to the bathroom I slipped them under the couch."

"But…what about the Peruvian bottle I saw you finish?" Gaara said, his mind spinning.

"I only had the few sips that you saw. Let's just say that while you weren't looking that fern of yours in the corner was watered _very_ well."

Gaara didn't blink as Shikamaru walked towards him and cupped one side of his face with his palm gently, meeting his jade eyes with his own.

"You want me to say it when I'm sober? Ok," the brunette said, and he leaned in close to Gaara's ear.

"I'm in love with you," he whispered.

Gaara felt his heart hammer in his chest as his lips were captured by Shikamaru's, kissing him softly and slowly. He felt his resolve break as milliseconds passed, and all too soon he felt Shikamaru's lips pull away.

"I know that your work is important to you, and that you may feel like this will distract you from it…" Shikamaru said. "So I'm only going to go as far as you want to. And if this is all we can do…then it's ok."

Gaara let Shikamaru kiss him again gently as thoughts raced through his head at a mile a minute, and he finally closed his eyes.

Shikamaru's eyes widened a bit as Gaara suddenly gripped his hair and pulled the brunette down forcefully, crashing their lips together more.

He could taste Gaara's passion, his need, and his waiting.

He had been waiting for this but had always let the company control his life.

But not tonight.

Shikamaru kissed back with equal fervor, placing a hand at the back of Gaara's neck to deepen their kiss even further if possible, and used the other to work at the buttons on the redhead's shirt.

Gaara whimpered a bit as Shikamaru entered his mouth, rolling his tongue around inside it erotically and massaging the redhead's tongue against his own.

He quivered as Shikamaru fully unbuttoned his shirt and ran a hand over his bare, pale shoulder, moving the fabric down and off of the rest of his arm.

* * *

Naruto tried to pull away as he was tugged through the sea of bodies and away from Sasuke.

He gasped a bit when he found himself turned around abruptly, and then he growled as he recognized the face looking at him in the neon lights of the club.

"Kiba!?" Naruto said. He threw Kiba's hand from his wrist. "How the hell did you get in here?!"

"Not important," Kiba said. "What _is_ important though is why you were dancing with that guy."

"W-what!? Why should you even care who I dance with?"

"I'm not wasting my second chance to get you back!" Kiba said forcefully, his eyes intense and determined.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Listen, I just want a dance, ok?" he said.

"I can't blow off Sasu-"

"We'll be done by the time he finds you," Kiba said, leading Naruto to the floor as a slow song started.

"_I didn't mean it when I said I didn't love you so. I should have held on tight I never shoulda let you go. I didn't know nothing, I was stupid, I was foolish, I was lying to myself."_

Naruto looked down to the floor as his hands rested on Kiba's shoulders awkwardly, the sparks that had once emitted from the brunette when he touched him gone.

"_The feeling that I'm feeling now that I don't hear your voice, or have your touch and kiss your lips cause I don't have a choice. Oh what I wouldn't give to have you lying by my side right here, cause baby, we belong together."_

Kiba rested his palms on Naruto's slender hips gently, swaying back and forth with him to the motion of the song.

He felt his spirit soar with the sensation of touching the blond again and being together with him once more.

Sasuke pushed his way through the crowd, breaking up many slow dancing couples in the process and receiving some insults as he passed.

He growled a bit as the once bright neon lights dimmed to deep blue and subtle maroon to match the cadence of the song, making it harder to see.

Naruto gasped a bit as Kiba hugged his arms around his middle and brought them close together as they swayed gently.

"_I'm feeling all out of my element, I'm throwing things, crying, trying to figure out where the hell I went wrong.The pain reflected in this song, it ain't even half of what I'm feeling inside I need you, need you back in my life, baby…"_

Naruto swallowed as he withstood the close proximity, closing his eyes tightly as he repeated a mantra in his head.

"_It'll be worth it when I'm with Sasuke again uninterrupted. It'll be worth it when I'm with Sasuke again uninterrupted. It'll be-!"_

Naruto's thoughts were immediately halted and left dangling as he felt a pair of lips press upon his own.

His eyes flew open as Kiba kissed him softly, cupping one side of his face with his hand.

* * *

Sasuke was getting aggravated.

This was supposed to be the slow dance he was sharing with Naruto!

_Who else am I gon' lean on when times get rough? Who's gonna talk to me on the phone till the sun comes up? Who's gonna take your place?There ain't nobody better."  
_

He swore that he had weaved through the whole dance floor and was about to reach into his pocket and call Naruto's cell when a fleck of bright golden locks came across his line of sight.

"_Oh, baby baby, we belong together…" _

Why couldn't he move? Move, dammmit!

Naruto struggled to move his arms but suddenly found them frozen in shock.

"_When you left I lost a part of me. It's still so hard to believe. Come back baby please, 'cause we belong together."_

Naruto's eyes suddenly widened as in this immobile state he saw Sasuke standing like a statue seven feet behind Kiba, his face nothing short of astonishment.

* * *

Sasuke felt his heart accelerate and his breathing stop instantly as he saw Naruto's lips locked with a brunette on the dance floor, his arms around Naruto's middle indicating that they were slow dancing.

Sasuke swallowed, hoping that what he saw would dissipate into the air like a mirage created by the heat of the swaying bodies around him.

But it didn't.

* * *

Naruto watched, utterly helpless as Sasuke's expression changed from being stunned, to heartbroken, to angry, and he turned and walked away, instantly lost in the crowd.

This shock seemed to have finally hit Naruto's senses as he sensed movement returning to his numb arms, and he shoved Kiba away.

"Sasuke!" he shouted, propelling himself through the crowd as fast as he could.

* * *

Sasuke felt the cold outside bite at his uncovered cheeks, and he gripped the front of his shirt tightly between his elegant fingers.

His chest felt like it was suffocating, constricting him from breathing as the image of Naruto being held and kissed by the brunette in the club replayed over and over in his mind.

In his overpowering state he thought he heard his name being called, but ignored it as he brought his leg over his motorcycle and revved it forcefully.

It let out a satisfyingly loud growl, and backing out from the parking space, Sasuke sped off down the road.

* * *

"SASUKE!" Naruto cried as loudly as he could as he saw the young Uchiha revving his vehicle.

"Sasuke!" he shouted again, but the motorcycle's rumble easily overpowered his voice.

Naruto ran forward, urging his legs to move faster as his eyes stung anf he saw Sasuke back out.

"SASUKE!!"

Naruto's final cry went unheard as Sasuke zipped down the road, his following shouts swallowed up by the wind.

* * *

Shikamaru groaned a bit and shifted, burying his face into his pillow.

He reached for the warm body that he knew lay bare and beautiful beside him in his bed, and his brows furrowed when he was met with sheets instead.

He reached farther, and when he encountered nothing but the covers again, he opened his eyes and turned on the light beside him.

Shikamaru sat up abruptly as he saw that the space beside him was empty.

He felt his heartbeat quicken and he looked around his room, hoping to see a certain pale redhead walk in from getting a glass of water or simply going to the bathroom.

But instead he was graced with seeing the small slip of paper resting on his bedside table next to his clock.

He picked it up carefully and his heart dropped through his body, through his bed, and into the floorboards as he read.

_Shikamaru-_

_See you tomorrow for Naruto's business meeting with Sungakure Modeling Studios._

_-Gaara_

Shikamaru kept the note in his hand for the next five minutes, just staring at it blankly, no emotion whatsoever crossing over his façade.

He finally sighed and folded it, laying the paper back where he found it.

He turned off the light sitting on his table, and crawled to the space next to him where the writer of the note had oh so previously lay.

Shikamaru curled up and brought the covers up to wind them tightly around his body.

He could still feel Gaara's warmth lingering in the folds of the sheets.

* * *

**TT.TT**

**So sad….:sigh:**

**Oh! Btw, Gomi-kun and I are now available as Betas! ;3 Check out our beta profile and send us a PM if you want our services!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**

**Kyu kyu!**


	11. Boxers a Blowin'

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None! **

**2nd Disclaimer: I don't own any songs mentioned in this fic! **

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Woot! Hurray for my new badass compie!**

**Gomi-kun: Woo.**

**--**

**Reviewer Replies: Ok, I've go too many reviews now to reply to, so I won't be anymore, but I still read and love all reviews! But I will still answer any questions you have here!**

**--**

**Chapter Dedication: This one's for xoBreathe, DeliciouslyGood, and ichigo14! Arigatou! I luv all my reviewers!**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: Boxers a Blowin'**

**--**

Itachi let out a low rumble in his throat akin to a purr as Deidara whimpered beneath him, weaving his fingers through the raven's long silky hair as his neck was assaulted with kisses.

Deidara shifted his hips, and the bare abrasion of skin on skin made them both groan.

"I-Ita…" Deidara breathed, soon silenced as his lover captured his lips and plundered his mouth, the ravenous kiss making him shiver and grip Itachi's pale shoulders.

As Itachi parted a moment later for air, he couldn't help but stop when he saw Deidara's face dusted over with a soft pink blush, his blond hair falling around his face in long flaxen sheets. He cursed under his breath and Deidara gasped as his head was pulled up into a searing kiss, frenzied with biting and sucking that practically swallowed all of his breath until he was panting heavily when his lips were released.

The blond gasped as Itachi seized his legs and propped them up a bit with his shoulders, and swiped the lube off the bedside table.

Itachi always was rough in the bed, but that's what always made it more exciting to Deidara.

"Sorry Dei-chan," Itachi said, hurriedly prepping himself. "I can't wait any more-!"

Deidara nodded and pulled the raven down for a long kiss as he positioned himse-

"ITACHI!!"

Deidara let out a shriek of terror as the door to his room was suddenly flung open, and he fell off the side of the bed, landing in a tangle of sheets.

Itachi whipped his head around, ready to bite off the head of whoever had interrupted his first night at home with his lover after weeks, when his eyebrows shot into his head.

"Uzumaki-san…?" he said.

Naruto stood in the doorway, panting heavily and sweating as if he had just run a marathon. (Though you couldn't really tell the sweat apart, since he was sopping wet from the rain outside.)

"Naruto-sama?" Deidara said, standing up with the sheets around his waste. "What's wrong? Are you ok? What happened?"

"I-…Itachi!" Naruto gasped between pants. "Where d-does Sasuke live?"

Itachi blinked.

"Wha-"

"Just tell me god dammit! Please!" Naruto said, suddenly infuriated, but the anger drained from him as quickly as it had come, and he dropped to the floor on his knees.

"Naruto-sama!" Deidara said, crouching down beside him. "Calm down, you can't go back out there, it's pouring rain!"

"I think he's aware of that," Itachi said. He stood up and went to the bathroom, returning with a pair of boxers on and a towel in hand. He handed the towel to Deidara who wrapped it around Naruto's shivering form.

"Geez Naruto-san, you look like you ran all the way here!" Deidara said.

"I did," Naruto deadpanned.

"What!? Why that hell did you run here in the rain!? I thought you were at the Cocoloco with Sasuke?"

Naruto opened his mouth to answer, but as soon as the name of the club came to him it was forgotten, and his mind was assaulted with the replay of Sasuke's torn expression as he stormed out of the dance club.

Deidara watched as Naruto's eyes grew hazy before him, churning like waves in a storm as a great rush of emotion swept over them, making the water flail and thrash with restlessness.

Itachi also observed the rapid change, and knew somehow that his brother was the cause. He slipped out of the room as his lover tried to get the young superstar's attention.

"Hellooo?" Deidara said, snapping his fingers in front of Naruto's face. "Paging the village idiot!"

Deidara pouted when Naruto didn't respond, and he smacked him over the head.

"Ow! What? Huh?" Naruto said, then grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, I kinda spaced out. The rain must be getting to me…"

"Are you sure you're ok?" Deidara said. Then in a much more brotherly tone added, "You can stay here for the night if you want y'know."

Naruto shook his head as he stood up, his legs sore and wobbly from running.

"Thanks, but I just came to ask Itachi for-"

"Here."

Naruto blinked as a piece of paper was suddenly shoved into his sun-kissed hand by Itachi as the raven reentered the room, and he looked at the parchment.

"Those are the directions to my otouto's house," Itachi said. "But I wouldn't go there now considering that it's past midnight. You'll just make him even angrier if you wake him up."

Naruto nodded as he took off the towel around him and tossed it on a nearby table.

"Arigatou Itachi-san," he said, heading for the door.

"Naruto-san."

Naruto turned, his hand on the doorknob.

"My brother is very thick-headed. Beat some sense into him if need be." Naruto didn't miss the small smirk that rested on the older Uchiha's lips, and he smiled a bit back before running back out into the rain.

Deidara sighed.

"Poor Naruto-kun…" he said.

"Poor Naruto-kun?" Itachi said incredulously. "How about poor Itachi-kun? I was so close…"

Deidara patted his lover on the back as sparks of anger flew from his ears, his libido obviously no longer animated.

* * *

Jiraiya tapped his foot against the dark mahogany leg of his work desk to the beat of the soft jazz music playing around him.

He hummed as his eyes scanned the various papers littering his desk as he breathed in merrily from the cigarette positioned between his lips. The window to his left was cracked open to air the grey puffs that were leisurely released from his lips out of the room; he knew how bitchy Naruto got about the smoke, even if it was in _his_ office.

He removed the thin cigarette from his lips to let out a breath, using the other hand to delicately raise the champagne glass filled with quietly bubbling Dom Pérignon to his lips, taking a small sip before resetting it on the desk and taking another drag of his cigarette.

It was one of the rare moments in which he felt he could relax while going through application forms and paperwork. Besides being Naruto's manager, Jiraiya also ran a company on the other side of Japan called _Sanin Inc._ He would often go on business trips for a few days to a week when he had the time, but lately he had been so busy Naruto's double careers that he fell behind in all of his company's work.

BAM

BAM

"Uh…come in?" Jiraiya said uneasily as his door was thumped loudly.

Naruto slumped in, collapsing on the chair in front of Jiraiya's desk, not even bothering to reprimand him about smoking.

"Naruto? What happened to you?" Jiraiya said. "You're sopping wet y'know."

Naruto shot his guardian a weak glare.

"I'm aware," he said stiffly, sighing. "I walked home in the rain."

"What!? Why?" Jiraiya said, pausing with his champagne glass halfway to his lips.

"Because I was stupid and made Sas-" Naruto bit his tongue and stopped himself quickly, remembering that he was _supposed_ to have been running lines with Deidara for Crimson Eyes.

"—I-I was stupid and made Deidara mad so he didn't give me a ride home."

Jiraiya snorted.

"What'd you do this time?"

Naruto shrugged.

"I can't remember," he grumbled, placing his head in his hands and running his slender fingers through his wet golden tresses.

Jiraiya looked at his adoptive son hard. Something was wrong…but he wouldn't press it.

He smirked as he stood up and walked over to a cabinet hanging on the wall. He pulled out an empty champagne glass and filled it with the Dom Pérignon, holding it out across his desk to the blond.

Naruto snatched the drink quickly and chugged it down.

"Easy, easy there Naruto!" Jiraiya said as the blond handed him his glass, a silent demand for more. "This isn't a shot kid, it's Dom Pérignon!"

Naruto shrugged and drank from his refilled glass, feeling the bubbly alcohol slide down his throat pleasurably. He wasn't stupid and knew that he shouldn't he guzzling champagne that cost 120 dollars per pop, but at this point he didn't care.

"Practice was that rough, huh?" Jiraiya said as he finally snuffed out his cigarette and picked up the forlorn pen that was lying beside a business proposal on his desk.

"You have no idea," Naruto said, his cheeks already gaining some color from the drink. Naruto didn't like to drink, and it was a good thing too because he couldn't hold his alcohol if his life depended on it!

Jiraiya scanned the paper under his pen before returning his eyes to Naruto again, halfway done with his second glass.

He could see where this was going, and it wasn't going to be pretty.

* * *

Sasuke fell back on his bed, letting his body sink into the plush navy covers and sink into the crevices of his skin.

He shut his eyes and let out a sigh, trying to calm his heart hammering in his chest and threatening to break his ribcage.

They shot back open again when he saw a pair of tragic crystal blue eyes. The same eyes that had followed his mind from the club, down the road, and back to his house.

Sasuke huffed and sat up in bed.

Should he have stopped when Naruto called for him? Waited for an explanation? His heart had screamed for him to turn around, to meet those beautiful blue eyes and let them spill out apologies, but his mind, which inevitably ruled an Uchiha's decision, told him to turn away, and that there was nothing Naruto needed to explain.

So he did.

Sasuke threw off his shirt and jeans and climbed under the sheets, snuggling into his pillow.

A vein twitched above his head and he flipped over, mashing the pillow over his head. He growled and placed his head back on the pillow, glaring at the ceiling.

He couldn't believe it.

He couldn't freaking sleep!

Sasuke reached over to his alarm clock and flipped on the radio, hoping to find some music that could soothe him.

"—_get up and run and I would be out chasin' you. 'Cause ain't nowhere in the globe I'd rather be, ain't no one in the globe I'd rather see, than the guy of my dreams that made me feel, so happy but now so lonely. I'm so lonely, Mr. Lonel-"_

Sasuke smashed the radio off, the vein on his forehead more apparent than ever. He turned over to the other side of his bed and grabbed the remote lying on the floor, switching the TV on.

"—_that has caused a fangirl frenzy all over Tokyo. That's right, Uzumaki Naruto's more private side has finally been published in the popular "G!amor:o:us" magazine by reported Uchiha Sas-"_

Sasuke pushed the channel up button fervently.

"_Uzumaki-sama's manager will not reveal the reason for the superstar's sudden disappearance at the award ceremo-"_

Sasuke growled low in his throat. Naruto was _that_ popular!?

The raven's eyes widened as he saw a female pop star singing her hit song in a music video, with _Naruto._

Sasuke shut off the TV in such a huff that he fell off the side of his bed.

* * *

"Gabruhhhhhh…" Naruto groaned.

Only three glasses of champagne and the poor blond was smashed to high heaven.

Jiraiya sighed and rubbed his temples as he heard the "thud" from Naruto finally tipping off his precariously perched chair and hitting the floor.

Jiraiya sighed and stood up.

He took in the pitiful sight of Naruto face down on his office floor and rolled his eyes.

"C'mon Naruto," he said, leaning down and throwing one of Naruto's arms around his shoulder and grabbing his son's waist to steady him.

"Up we go," he groaned, his back cracking as he lifted the blond to his feet.

Naruto groaned again as Jiraiya moved forward, his feet stumbling. Despite what many would think upon first meeting the blond, Naruto was a quiet drunk.

"Ji-Jirai…" Naruto mumbled.

"I gotcha Naruto," Jiraiya said. "Hold on."

Naruto whimpered as Jiraiya leaned back down and lifted Naruto up over his shoulder as he ascended the stairs to the fourth floor on which Naruto's room was situated.

Naruto was beyond all coherent thought at this point, spots floating over his eyes in a cascade of colors.

Jiraiya thanked the gods that his son was light as he reached the fourth floor and walked down the hall.

Naruto groaned as Jiraiya entered his room and set him down delicately on his double bed.

Naruto whined and placed a hand on his head.

"C'mon Naruto, we need to get you out of those wet clothes if you don't wanna catch a cold," Jiraiya said, helping the blond sit up on the bed.

He helped Naruto out of his black button up and pants with little difficulty, and left the superstar's boxers on as he went to the bathroom, returning with a fluffy orange towel in hand. (Naruto's preference of course.)

He scrubbed Naruto's hair, water droplets flying as said blond looked at his guardian through hazy half-lidded eyes.

"Sas…"

"Hm?" Jiraiya said, meeting his son's gaze.

"Sasuke….I….gotta see…" Naruto murmured.

"Sasuke?" Jiraiya said, raising an eyebrow. "You still thinking about that guy?"

"Sasuke…so s-sorry…"

Jiraiya sighed as he pushed Naruto down on the bed and placed the covers over him.

"You've gotta stop thinking about him Naruto," he sighed.

"But I-I love him…"

Jiraiya stopped in Naruto's doorway, his hand hovering over the light switch. Naruto was not one to lie when he was drunk.

Jiraiya turned off the lights as he heard the soft snores emanating from under Naruto's covers, closing the door quietly behind him.

* * *

--

BEEP!

_BEEP!!_

_**BEEP!!**_

Naruto groaned and bolted upright in bed, the covers hanging over his head like a tent as the shriek of his alarm clock vibrated through his ears and hammered on his brainstem.

The room tilted on its axis and colored spots fizzled over the blond's eyes, and he regretted the swift action. He looked back at his clock, holding his head again as he saw two of everything in his room. He picked up the clock and brought it an inch from his face, squinting through the double vision.

"_8:17…its morning! Sasuke!!"_

* * *

Jiraiya's coffee mug stopped midway to its destination as hard thumps resounded from the third staircase...second…first…

He raised an eyebrow as he saw what could have only been his adopted son collapse at the floor of the stair case in a puddle of goo, before groaning and untangling his limbs.

"Good morning to you too," Jiraiya said, finally bringing the mug to his lips and letting the black coffee slide down his gullet.

Naruto grabbed his keys from the counter, sputtered something about running lines with Deidara, threw on a coat and made a beeline for the front door.

Jiraiya shook his head and sighed, taking another sip of his coffee.

"Kids. Whatever happened to good old fashioned stay-in-bed-all-day-and-groan hangovers?"

Jiraiya looked at the front door thoughtfully.

"Maybe I should have told him he was only wearing his boxers…"

* * *

The shock of the cold air that swept over Naruto's skin was enough to wake him up, but not enough to dispel his hellish hangover.

He tugged on the rest of his orange and black jacket that Jiraiya hated and bolted to his car. He almost ran into the vehicle, pushing his hands out in front of him and gripping his head with the hand that didn't hold his keys.

"_God…"_ he thought, the space around him spinning. _"There's no way I can drive like this."_

Naruto bit his lip. He fished into his jacket pocket for the directions to Sasuke's house, deeming it about five miles away. He threw his head back and let out an exasperated sigh before running out of the circle driveway.

Sasuke liked the mornings that he didn't have to report to his office. It meant waking up on his own accord instead of having his ears abused by his alarm clock, and he could actually catch breakfast and maybe even watch the morning news.

Sasuke took the last bite out of his toast before standing up and placing his dish in the sink, still clutching his coffee mug.

He took a sip and grimaced at the strong taste, but after the horrible sleep he had had the previous night, he needed it. Badly. And what had kept the raven up? One guess: a certain blond-haired superstar.

Sasuke looked at his coffee and scowled. He admitted that he felt something for Naruto…ok not just _something_…it was the closest thing to love that Sasuke had ever felt before. Maybe it _was_ love…….was it?

Sasuke shook his head.

It didn't matter anymore.

He looked up as he heard his doorbell ring and, even though he wasn't much of a people-person in the morning (or at any time of the day for that matter), he made his way to the front door.

* * *

Naruto panted as he leaned his hands on his knees, his skin sweaty as his hair stuck to the back of his neck.

He lifted a shaky hand to Sasuke's doorbell. He wanted to compose himself, he really did, but he was just too damn tired!

Sasuke blinked.

He would have smacked himself if he hadn't been looking at a hunched over Naruto, clad in a jacket and black boxers, sweat pooling down the blond's tan chest in glistening strands.

Sasuke clapped a hand over his nose and slammed the door.

* * *

Naruto looked up as he caught his breath, his mind registering that a certain Uchiha had just closed the door quite roughly as if in a hurry.

"Sa-Sasuke!!" Naruto said, standing up shakily. "Sasuke, l-let me in, please!"

* * *

Sasuke tilted his head back to made sure that any blood flow that was coming was sent backwards. He would have died of embarrassment if Naruto had lifted his head to see his friend nosebleeding over him.

Then again, just about anyone would with one look at the blond…either that or they would have jumped him.

Sasuke was brought back into reality as he heard Naruto call his name, and he composed himself, Uchiha glare in place, before opening the door again.

* * *

Naruto smiled as Sasuke opened the door for him, but it faded when he saw the glare firmly in place on the raven's handsome face.

"What?" he said.

"I-I want to talk to you…" Naruto said, scratching his head sheepishly.

"Hn," Sasuke opened the door wider and let the blond in.

Sasuke had a nice apartment, not too big but large enough for two other people to comfortably live in. The den was composed of a black couch and widescreen TV, book cases lining the wall to the left and family portraits on the right.

Sasuke sat down on the plush couch, and Naruto followed suit, albeit nervously.

The room was quiet for a moment, before Naruto broke the silence with a sigh.

"That night at the club…" he said, unsure of how to explain.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. He had never seen the dobe so flustered before to the point where he couldn't seem to form words.

"That guy you saw me dancing with…that was my ex boyfriend, Kiba. We broke up about three years ago after senior year since I was going out of state for college and wouldn't be back for two years. When I got back we just stayed friends and see each other much."

Naruto sighed.

"I went to his college soccer game finals when I was supposed to be accepting the Young Actor of the Year Award. I was tired of breaking promises to him. We went back to his place and…kind of got caught up in the moment I guess. Then I realized that I didn't love him, it was just lust that night. He still loved me though. He told me that he was going to make me fall in love with him again, but that's impossible. I feel nothing but friendship towards him. I don't know how he got into the club, but he dragged me away and asked for one slow dance, and promised he would leave me alone for the night if I did."

Naruto looked up to make sure Sasuke was listening, and found a pair of onyx eyes staring at him intently.

"I only did it because…" Naruto's face flushed a light pink. "…because I wanted to slow dance with you without being interrupted."

Sasuke blinked in surprise as Naruto's blush became more prominent on his whiskered cheeks.

"Then he just suddenly leaned in and kissed me outta no where. I felt awful when I saw you watching. I shoved Kiba away and chased after you…but you drove away. I'm sorry Sasuke…I really am…"

Naruto closed his eyes, preparing himself for the yelling and cursing to come, but it never came.

"Dobe."

Naruto cautiously opened one eye, and his jaw almost dropped when he saw Sasuke smirking at him smugly.

Sasuke sighed.

"I shouldn't have been mad. I mean we weren't on a date or anything."

Naruto felt his heart chip a bit.

"Yea…" he said. He murmured something else under his breath sadly, surprised when he said it instead of thinking it, and hoped Sasuke didn't catch it.

"What?"

Crap.

"N-nothing," Naruto said quickly, blushing again.

"What dobe?" Sasuke said.

Naruto looked back up at Sasuke and sighed yet again.

"I said…" he paused to take a deep breath "I said, I wish it was."

Sasuke blinked.

And he blinked again.

He heart flipped over in a 180 degree spin and exploded.

The words escaped his mouth before he could even catch them.

"Me too."

Naruto looked back up at Sasuke quickly, hoping that his ears hadn't betrayed him.

"Y-…you too?" he asked cautiously.

Sasuke turned away, and Naruto laughed aloud in bliss at the pink tinge he saw over the raven's pale cheeks.

Sasuke glared at Naruto half-heartedly.

"What's so funny dobe?"

He gasped a bit as he was suddenly pulled into a tight hug.

"I'm…just relieved…"

Naruto's voice was so soft that Sasuke had to strain a bit to hear him.

The blond rested his forehead on Sasuke's shoulder.

"I thought that I'd never talk to you again last night…that you'd be too angry to…to forgi—"

Naruto didn't finish as Sasuke pulled away and captured his lips quickly but gently.

Naruto closed his eyes, letting the kiss sweep away any coherent thoughts swimming in his mind. He gripped the front of Sasuke's shirt with his right hand, the other finding purchase in the raven locks spilling down Sasuke's pale neck.

Sasuke hummed as he felt the blond's fingers weave through his hair, the euphoric sensation of kissing Naruto again sending a shockwave rippling under his skin.

He positioned a hand on Naruto's lower back to steady him, the other cupping the whiskered cheek gently as Sasuke requested entrance to the blond's mouth to morph the soft kiss into passion.

Naruto obliged, opening his mouth albeit shyly to the raven.

Their tongues met, slowly sliding and cascading against one another. The fight for dominance was unneeded, as it would ruin the moment, so Sasuke quietly took over the kiss.

Naruto groaned softly, Sasuke's delicate touch driving him to the precipice of ecstasy, pale lips caressing, massaging against his own in gentle but luscious friction as their tongues swayed.

He cursed his need for air, and pulled away from Sasuke, drinking in much needed air.

Sasuke made up for the lost contact by kissing the blond's forhead, moving down his whiskered cheek, the underside of his tan chin, and placing butterfly kisses over his neck.

"Sasuke…" Naruto said, and the raven lifted his head to meet the azure gaze. "Does…what does this mean?"

"What do you want it to?" Sasuke said.

Naruto paused, thinking.

"I…I want it to mean you forgive me."

Sasuke scoffed.

"No, I think I'll settle for swearing revenge over the Uzumaki name and wreaking havoc at your mansion."

Naruto grinned at the blatant sarcasm.

"If you do that I might have to stalk you to make sure you stay away," he chuckled.

"Be my guest dobe."

"Teme."

Sasuke smiled, and Naruto glowed inside, knowing that such a smile was for him, and him alone.

"I'll forgive you dobe, on one condition…" Sasuke said, pulling Naruto into his lap, resting his head on the blond's shoulder.

"What would that be bastard," Naruto laughed.

"A real date."

Naruto felt his cheeks gain a tinge of pink.

Sasuke smirked. He didn't need to lift his head to know that Naruto was blushing.

"Ok, but not today. I have a crazy hangover."

Sasuke pulled back.

"That reminds me- what possessed you to run here in your boxers?" he said.

Naruto looked down and instantly paled.

"I…through the streets….only boxers…!?" he sputtered incoherently. He hissed as a sharp pain sparked up to his head, and flopped back on to the couch.

"Jiraiya's gonna kill me if the paparazzi got a picture of that…I didn't even know I was only in my boxers! I just woke up and ran out…"

Sasuke leaned down and kissed the top of the blond's head.

"Didn't know I was so important dobe," he smirked, and Naruto swatted his smug face with a pillow.

* * *

**Finally some sasunaru action! Will Jiraiya find out about Naruto's little morning jog? What will happen with Shika and Gaara? Found out in the next chapter!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	12. Because Tsunade Says!

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None! **

**2nd Disclaimer: I don't own any songs mentioned in this fic! **

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Don't have much to say…just read I guess **

**--**

**Chapter Dedication: This is for the awesome Skele, KittyBlue, and SasuNaruAllDay. Reviews keep the yaoi fire in me burning! :Rock Lee pose:**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: Because Tsunade Says!**

**--**

_Tsunade's office was, in a few words, a pit in hell where she controlled the fires beneath that she used to burn her employees over a searing barbeque But today those thrashing pits were calm, and the office was quiet._

_Translation: Tsunade was buzzed and sleeping on her desk with a sake bottle loosely gripped in her left hand._

"_Tsunade!"_

_Jiraiya jumped to the side as Tsunade's desk nameplate went flying, hitting the hallway wall with a low thunk and sticking fast into the wood._

_Jiraiya raised an eyebrow and dared to reenter the room._

_Tsunade lifted her head, glaring at the man in front of her._

"_What the hell do you want pervert?" she growled. She sat up fully and swished her sake bottle, giving it a longing stare when it sloshed only a little._

"_Can't an old friend come and visit?" Jiraiya said innocently, closing the office door and taking a seat in front of the blonde woman's desk._

"_No," Tsunade said flatly._

_Jiraiya lifted up a brown bottle-shaped bag._

"_I have sake."_

_Tsunade lunged across the table for the bottle, and Jiraiya pulled it just out of her reach._

"_Bastard, give it!" she snarled, reaching forward more until her upper body was pressed against the desk, making papers and other office supplies fall to the carpet._

"_One condition," Jiraiya said._

"_What!?"_

"_You have to be my date to the meeting after-party."_

_Tsunade growled._

"_Again?"_

"_Yes again. The meeting I can live through but the after-party is being forced on me. I don't want to have to fend off the paparazzi on my own."_

_Tsunade rolled her eyes. She knew that Jiraiya had no feelings for her other than friendship; he just didn't like testing his boundaries with women._

"_Fine, now give it!!" Tsunade barked, and Jiraiya let her snatch the alcohol. She didn't bother grabbing a glass, and proceeded to rip off the top and chug down a mighty gulp. She sighed and melted back into her chair, settling the bottle on her desk._

"_Honestly Jirai, you need to get a girlfriend," she said._

_Jiraiya snorted._

"_Yea, I need a girlfriend just about as much as you need implanted triple D's."_

_Tsunade smirked and puffed her enormous chest a little for good measure._

"_I'm serious! You haven't had a date in four years, and you're 35 for god's sake!"_

"_I prefer to keep my private life just the way it is: __**private**__."_

_Tsunade scoffed and crossed her arms behind her head._

"_If I let any personal details leak out then the paparazzi could twist it anyway that want," Jiraiya continued. "And Sanin Inc. will take a nosedive as soon as I do."_

_Tsunade's face took on a stern look, and she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the edge of her desk._

"_Jiraiya. You have never once in your life actually let yourself loose. You've never opened up enough to let someone get close because your whole being revolves around your company. Don't you think it's time give the reins some slack?"_

_Jiraiya shifted his eyes down to the carpet._

* * *

_Jiraiya forced a laugh from his throat as the businessmen around him all chortled at a joke one of them had made._

"_**Idoits,"**__ Jiraiya thought, waving goodbye to them as he made his way to the buffet table. He poured himself a glass of champagne, letting out a long sigh after taking a sip._

_The after-party was a little more than halfway through, and he was already getting sick of the questions, comments, and stupid dry humor._

"_Hey perv."_

_Jiraiya turned as Tsunade approached him in a pretty light blue dress that accentuated her luscious curves._

_Jiraiya grunted in response and down the rest of his drink, setting the glass back on the table._

_Tsunade crossed her arms over her impressive bust and gave Jiraiya the I-know-you-did-something-wrong-that-I-know-you-don't-know look._

"_What?" he finally said, deflated._

"_Have you even talked to one woman here tonight?" she said accusingly, and Jiraiya shot her a bitter look._

"_Tsunade, you know that the last three women I dated were just gold-diggers out for my company's money. What makes you think that any one of them here tonight are different?" he said._

_Tsunade didn't miss the small spark of hurt in Jiraiya's eyes. After all, it was never pleasant to find out that your girlfriend was only dating you for your money._

"_How do you know until you've tried, huh?" Tsunade gave his shoulder a light punch before walking away to let the men shamelessly ogle her chest some more._

"_Pfft," Jiraiya scoffed, pouring himself more to drink. He took it in his hand, sloshing the white bubbling liquid back and forth before taking another drink and cringing._

"_These people have no sense of good wine," he grumbled._

"_You've got that right."_

_Jiraiya turned at the new, obviously female voice, smooth with a bit of an edge to it._

_She must have been a few years younger than Jiraiya, wearing a dark and simple cocktail dress, accenting her slim form. Her hair was a dark purple, framing her face in the front and tied up to spike in the back._

_Jiraiya wasn't surprised. Beautiful women liked to hang around these after-parties looking for rich men to flirt with as their next victim._

_Jiraiya simply raised an eyebrow in response._

"_They only buy this champagne 'cause it's expensive," the woman said, sloshing her own drink around in disgust. "Not all the pricey stuff is that good though."_

"_True," Jiraiya said cautiously. He hadn't really met a woman that knew about drinks since Tsunade._

"_They have some really good stuff down in the cellar," she said, placing her glass on the buffet table and turning around._

_Jiraiya looked down at his unappealing drink, shrugged, and followed._

* * *

_Jiraiya laughed a little as the woman sat on the floor beside him, a bottle of half empty wine between them. She laughed along with him, only much louder. She swayed a little where she sat, gulping more of the wine in her glass._

_Jiraiya had learned that the woman's name was Anko and she was a designer in training. She wasn't far from Jiraiya's work building and, most surprisingly, she had only heard of Jiraiya and his company a few times on the news. Jiraiya was skeptical, but he didn't pursue the thought._

_Ank paused in her laugh to look at the clock in the cellar._

"_Oh wow, is it really that late?" she said, her words slurring slightly. She used the wall for support as she stood, only to fall forward and have Jiraiya catch her._

"_Did you come with friends?" Jiraiya asked, helping her up the cellar stars._

"_I didn't plan on getting drunk," Anko said with a grin. "Could you help me get home?"_

_Ok, __**now**__ Jiraiya was pursuing those skeptical thoughts. That wasn't the first time he had heard the oh-please-help-me-home line._

_Jiraiya sighed. "Fine," he said._

* * *

_Jiraiya supported Anko's weight as they stepped out of his limo and helped her into her fairly nice apartment._

_She handed him the key and she unlocked the door, stepping in albeit wobbly._

"_Thanks Jiraiya," she said, smiling. "I'll see you around, ok?" And she closed the door._

_Jiraiya blinked._

_He hadn't been seduced, flirted with, or invited in. She didn't even drop any subtle hints._

_Jiraiya scratched the back of his head in confusion as he made his way back to the limo, telling Iruka to drive home._

* * *

_Jiraiya had in fact seen Anko around after that night. They both attended more parties and found themselves ending up talking in the wine cellars with a nice bottle of champagne in between them._

_Soon Jiraiya found himself wanting to spend more time with the woman, so he invited her on walks through the local park, to a movie or even dinner._

_Anko seemed to balance out the trouble with the media who kept on getting leaks of his personal life from God knows where. Hushed business proposals were suddenly on the cover of magazines and Jiraiya's personal life had become entertainment for the masses._

_Jiraiya had set his most trusted investigator on the job, Kakashi Hatake, to find the source of the information leak. But Jiraiya wasn't as concerned as he could have been, but that's what love was doing to him. He admitted that after four months of meetings and dates he had fallen for Anko. He had finally gotten the nerve to ask her to be his girlfriend, and was overjoyed when she accepted._

_As time passed he grew angrier and angrier as more information about his private life was hitting the street gossip page in the tabloids. Soon two years had passed and nothing was a secret anymore in Sanin Inc. On the one hand Jiraiya was practically losing his mind, but on the other he couldn't have been happier. Anko had stayed with him through the years, by his side to comfort him and walk him through the company's problems. Thoughts of a family with her made themselves apparent in his mind everyday, and he was just waiting for the right moment to pop the question._

* * *

_Jiraiya turned over the silver ring in his hand, a diamond situated in the middle with smaller amethyst stones framing it downward._

_Anko would be home soon, and Jiraiya was ready._

_He stood abruptly as a knock came on the door, and he frowned when he saw Kakashi standing there._

"_Found the leak," Kakashi said, holding up a manila folder stuffed with papers._

"_Oh, come in," Jiraiya said. Kakashi looked around as he entered._

"_Where's Anko?"_

"_Ah, she had to work late," Jiraiya said, sitting on the couch as Kakashi followed suit._

_There was silence in the room before Kakashi sighed._

"_Jiraiya, there's no easy way to say this."_

"_What?"_

"_The leak is coming from a reporter…"_

"_Of course."_

"_Under an alias."_

"_Not surprising."_

"_It's Anko."_

"_Well it…what?"_

_Jiraiya looked at Kakashi like he had turned into a scarecrow right before his eyes. Kakashi didn't speak as he handed Jiraiya the manila folder._

_Jiraiya opened it, scanning through the files. His eyes got wider and wider, and he felt his hear ricochet off the sides of his ribcage when he saw Anko's handwriting on the rough draft of the next editorial._

_Jiraiya let the folder fall from his lap, the papers spilling out over his shoes and onto the marble floor._

_He didn't move when the door opened and Anko walked into the room._

"_What's going on?" she asked sweetly, then paused when she met Kakashi's visible eye and her gaze flicked to the folder on the ground._

"_It's over, that's what," Kakashi said, standing._

_Anko looked from his to Jiraiya quickly._

"_Jirai, hun! You can't just let Kakashi accuse me of-"_

"_Kakashi," Jiraiya said, not turning around. He waved a hand and Kakashi took a hold of Anko._

_If there was any noise that followed Jiraiya didn't hear it, all senses blocked out as his eyes focused on the delicate handwriting spilling over countless documents, divulging his life's story._

* * *

"_That bitch," Tsunade hissed, pouring more sake out for the man sitting in a chair in front of her. Jiraiya looked tired and worn, bags under his eyes and white hair looking a more sickly grey._

_He took the cup offered, but didn't drink from it. He watched it swirl and ripple his reflection on the surface._

_It had been one month since Anko had been busted by Kakashi, but Jiraiya still felt the after effects of betrayal as fresh as ever._

"_You know Jiraiya," Tsunade said lightly. "Just because you don't have a wife, doesn't mean you can't have a family."_

* * *

_Jiraiya looked down at the slip of paper in his hand on which Tsunade had written the address for the orphanage he was visiting._

_He knew he wasn't going to adopt a kid. He didn't want a brat running around screaming when they didn't get something they wanted. That wasn't a son or daughter to him, just an annoyance._

_Jiraiya sighed as he entered the building, to children speeding past him and almost bowling him over in the process._

"_And people wonder why I don't like kids," Jiraiya mumbled under his breath._

"_Welcome, welcome!" the woman at the desk said, standing and approaching Jiraiya. "Please, allow me to give you a tour!"_

_Jiraiya, who wasn't really paying attention, nodded and followed the woman._

_As they walked through the orphanage she pointed out every child, reciting their name, age, and personalities as if they were written on a script._

_Jiraiya snapped back to attention when he noticed that she had skipped over a child._

"_M'am, you forgot about him," Jiraiya said, pointing to the corner where a blond boy sat, hugging a fox plushie to his chest._

"_Oh well he's not important sir," the woman said, waving a hand. "No one will adopt him."_

_Jiraiya raised an eyebrow._

"_Why?"_

"_Well the boy is already twelve, a mute and extremely shy, and really, who wants an unresponsive son? Oh! But over here we have-"_

_Jiraiya didn't listen to the woman talking anymore, or continue to follow her. Instead he approached the blond boy in the corner who was staring out the window impassively._

_The boy was small and thin for his age, locks of bright golden hair falling in spikes around his face. He raised his head when Jiraiya paused in front of him to reveal a pair of crystal blue eyes and whisker-like scars along each tanned cheek._

"_Hello," Jiraiya said, leaning down to his level._

_Naruto held the fox tighter to his chest._

"_So…what's your name?"_

_Naruto only blinked back and Jiraiya almost smacked himself for forgetting that the kid was a mute._

"_Never mind, never mind," he said quickly, "It's not important."_

_Jiraiya watched the emotions pass over the boy's face: anxiety, hope, shyness, curiosity…too many for Jiraiya to even count. That woman must have been really stupid to say that this boy was unresponsive._

"_So, you like foxes?" Jiraiya asked. The boy nodded. "You look kinda like one with now whiskers on your cheeks."_

_The boy touched the scars on his cheeks before hiding them behind his toy._

"_They're cool looking," Jiraiya said. The blond moved his face back out slowly from behind the fox, blinking in confusion._

"_Well I think they're cool," Jiraiya said, shrugging. "I like toads, I think they're neat. My best friend says that if I were a toad I'd be a big fat one with warts all over."_

_Naruto laughed a little, trying to muffle his giggles behind the fox._

_Jiraiya looked over at the clock on the wall._

"_Well I don't know about you, but I've had a long day."_

_The blond watched sadly as Jiraiya stood and began to walk out. He paused and looked back at the boy._

"_Are you coming or not?" he said. The blond said there for a moment in disbelief, before clambering off the chair he was in and running up to Jiraiya, hugging his legs tightly as tears trickled down his cheeks._

_Jiraiya smiled and ruffled the messy blond locks._

"_Let's go home, ne?"_

* * *

_Jiraiya rubbed his chin as he scribbled something on a document in his office. Naruto sat on the edge of his desk, swinging his legs._

_Jiraiya looked up when a knock came at the door._

"_Come in," Jiraiya said, a smiled a little when Tsunade stepped in._

_Naruto's eyes lit up and a huge grin spread across his face as he leapt off the desk and lunged at Tsunade, hugging her tightly._

"_Naruto!" Tsunade said, picking Naruto up with her inhuman strength. Naruto smiled again, lighting up the whole room as he gave Tsuande a small kiss on the cheek._

"_He's gonna be a charmer Jiraiya," Tsunade said as she put Naruto down, who scrambled back into his adoptive father's lap._

"_That's what I'm afraid of," Jiraiya grumbled, fluffing Naruto's hair good naturedly._

"_Has he said anything?" Tsunade asked, sitting down in the chair by Jiraiya's desk. Naruto was too distracted playing with Jiraiya's red laser point pen to pay attention to their conversation._

_Jiraiya shook his head._

"_It's been a year, so I don't know if he will," Jiraiya said, shrugging. "But he's expressive enough without his voice anyways."_

_Jiraiya looked up as another knocking came to his door._

"_Come in."_

_Naruto jumped from his father's lap when Iruka opened then door and he tackled him in a blur of gold._

"_Naruto-chan!" Iruka said, hugging him._

"_What're you doing here Iruka? You have the day off," Jiraiya said, smiling a little at his affectionate son.._

"_I know, but I promised Naruto that I would take him to the park." Iruka suddenly straightened as he addressed his employer. "If that's alright with you sir."_

_Jiraiya chuckled. "Of course Iruka. I trust you with his life."_

"_Don't become a mother hen now 'Ruka," Tsunade said as she grinned._

"_I'm not a 'mother' anything!" Iruka said indignantly. He looked down as Naruto tugged at his sleeve, smiling softly._

_Iruka scooped up Naruto into a tight hug and Tsunade scoffed._

"_Yea, sure you're not, Missy."_

* * *

_Naruto looked up through the forest of legs that swung past him, people walking towering over him a lighthouse over the seashore._

_He hated being so short for his age. Not that he ever told Jiraiya or Iruka. There were actually a lot of things he wanted to tell his guardians, even Tsunade. But thankfully his emotions showed enough to alert his small family of his needs. Though he still felt the desire to let them know other things, like his favorite song or a toy he liked a lot._

_Naruto tired his best, but he couldn't seem to express himself enough without words, especially when it came to making friends._

_School was not Naruto's favorite place to be. It wasn't that he didn't like learning, but it was hard to enjoy school when you had no friends. No other kids seemed to want to get close to something as unfamiliar as a mute child._

_Naruto sighed sadly as he looked up at Iruka. He held the man's hand a little tighter as they walked down the sidewalk. They weren't far from the park, but the sidewalk was the easiest commute route for employees in the large corporate companies, so it was fairly busy._

_But today was just __**insane**__._

"_Careful Naruto," Iruka said, pulling the little blond aside before he was bowled over by a man swinging a large briefcase. "It's really busy today."_

_Naruto nodded, clutching Iruka's hand with both of his own now as they weaved in and out of the oncoming crowd._

_Iruka turned as someone tapped him on the shoulder to face a middle aged woman, holding a map in her nervous hands._

"_Excuse me young sir, but can you tell me how to get Oakland Boulevard?" she asked._

"_Oh sure," Iruka said. He let go of Naruto's hand as he pointed on the map along the woman's path of travel with it and held the map with the other._

_Naruto switched his hold to Iruka's pants._

_He gasped when a large crowd came through, and he felt his fingers slip from the fabric of Iruka's pants._

_He winced as the sea of rapidly moving legs shoved him this way and that, and backward until he fell._

_Iruka nodded as the woman thanked him, and he looked down to take Naruto's when again._

"_Naruto?" he said. He did a 180 to look all around him. "Naruto!? Naruto!"_

_Naruto vaguely heard Iruka's shouts over the chatter of the crowd and noises of the Tokyo streets._

"_Naruto! Naruto!!"_

_He could tell Iruka was becoming more frantic as his voice rose and escalated from worried to panicked._

_Naruto picked himself off, wincing as he noticed that he had skinned his knee, before running back into the crowd._

_He leaned his head back to look up at the faces that passed, searching for the familiar warm one._

"_NARUTO!!"_

_Naruto felt tears well up in his eyes. He felt helpless as Iruka called and called his name but he couldn't respond. A lump formed in his throat as the tears spilled and stained his whiskered cheeks._

"_Ru…" he cracked. "R-Ruk! 'Ruka!"_

_Iruka whipped his head around._

"_**I thought I heard Naruto call me…but he can't speak!"**__ he thought._

"'_Ruka-nii!!"_

_OK, that was unmistakably his name being called._

_Iruka followed the little voice, his heart pounding his ears like tribal drums, when he saw Naruto leaned down with his knees hugged to his chest on the edge of the sidewalk, tear streaks shining on his face in the midday sun as he weakly called Iruka's name like a wounded animal._

"_Naruto!" Iruka cried gratefully, thanking the gods as he pulled the blond into his arms and held him tightly._

_Naruto blinked, sniffling as he realized that Iruka was holding him. He clutched the fabric of the brunette's shirt._

"'_Ruka-nii…'Ruka-nii…" he said softly between sniffles. Iruka pulled back and blinked at him, mouth agape. He bared a stunning resemblance to a fish out of water._

"_You spoke! How!?"_

_Naruto shook his blond head, eyes screwed shut._

"_S-scared…" he said._

"_it's OK Naruto-chan, I've got you," Iruka said reassuringly. "You know you just spoke!"_

_Naruto blinked as his tears stopped, and his eyes grew wide._

"'_Ruke-nii…?" he said, and a smile suddenly spread over his face._

_He could finally speak._

* * *

**A flashback chapter. :shrug: But it was important for you all to understand why Jiraiya is such a strict manager and won't let Naruto spend time with Sasuke. Review please! **

**IMPORTANT**

**I have an account of deviantart, and on there have started an art contest with the theme of "What if Naruto gave up chasing Sasuke". It started September 1 and ends September 30. And you, yes you my readers, will be voting on the art and literature pieces you like the best. There will be a link on my profile to each entry, and a poll allowing you to pick two pieces of work you liked the most based on how it flowed with the theme. Thank you! **


	13. Thin Ice

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None! **

**2nd Disclaimer: I don't own any songs mentioned in this fic! **

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Woot! Exams are over =D Excuse the long wait, I had writer's block for this story for a while. X( I would stop and start and stop and start a lot .**

**Reviwer Questions:**

**Jingy5: Haha, you caught it!! ^^ Woot! You're the first person to catch that about Anko, smart you, haha. You deserve a special mention for that =D Yes, that's very important and will come into play in a future chapter. Good job!**

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen: Thin Ice**

**--**

Naruto muffled his face further into the pillow under him, reveling in the warmth that it held. It melted into his body, meandering down his arms to his fingertips, tickling his neck and cooling back down in his abdomen.

He groaned a little as he lifted his frazzled blond mess of hair, blowing a piece out of his face as his eyes tried to locate what had woken him up.

After Naruto's revelation of the fact that he had run to the raven's house in only his boxers, Sasuke grabbed him some clothes to borrow, which said blond wore now. The outfit consisted of a navy tank top one size too big and loose black drawstring pants. Afterwards Sasuke had given him some medicine for his hangover before leaving to drop off some documents at his work while the blond rested.

Naruto finally located the source of the noise; he had left the TV on while he drifted off, set to the music channel where Jason Mraz's newest music video was playing.

"_But I won't hesitate no more, no more. It cannot wait, I'm yours."_

Naruto smiled as he sat up.

His hangover was gone and the upbeat song fit the refreshed mood flooding through him.

He tapped his foot to the beat, and not ten seconds later was dancing to the feathery rhythm.

He was too wrapped up in his dance, singing along with the tune to notice Sasuke remove his shoes and enter through the front door.

He smiled as he watched Naruto, happy to see him up from his hangover. He walked over quietly to the table and dropped his keys there as soundlessly as possible, and padded his way over to the blond.

As Naruto turned Sasuke placed a hand on his waist and pulled him close, taking the other tan hand in his own free one.

"Where did you come from?" Naruto said, a little ruffled from surprise.

"The door dobe, where else?" Sasuke said. He led Naruto as they swayed to the music together smoothly. Their bodies aligned like the puzzle pieces of a sky where two matching blue pieces were always so hard to find.

"Maybe you should be a ninja," Naruto chuckled, his body becoming warmer against Sasuke's.

"Assassins are better," the raven said smugly.

"_So I won't hesitate no more, no more. It cannot wait I'm sure. There's no need to complicate, our time is short. This is our fate, I'm yours."_

Naruto looked down, watching their feet as he moved with his newly found boyfriend.

"I didn't know you could dance," he said, looking back up at Sasuke.

"My father forced me. Something about Uchiha pride and crap."

Naruto laughed a little.

"Jiraiya made me learn too. I'm not sure why, I think he just liked torturing me for some reason."

"_Do you want to come on, scoot a schooch on closer dear, and I will nibble your ear."_

Sasuke gave Naruto's neck a quick nuzzle before moving up to the tan shell of his ear bestowing a nip, followed by a quick lick.

"Bastard," Narutp mumbled, a light dusty blush making its way across the bridge of his nose.

Sasuke smirked; he would make sure that blush would show itself more often.

He turned Naruto's head back with a hand on the blond's chin, and connected their lips.

The swaying motion ceased and Naruto released a soft groan as he gripped the front of the raven's shirt. He felt Sasuke's lips turn upward in a smirk, and he requested entrance to the blond's mouth, swiping the pink lips with his tongue.

Naruto opened his mouth, albeit a little shyly, and Sasuke slid in. He got a feel for the blond's mouth, mapping out the fairly new territory before giving Naruto's tongue an experimental rub.

Naruto moaned as the muscles in their mouthes glided together, wrapping around each other as if embracing.

Sasuke retreated back into his mouth, encouraging his boyfriend to follow.

Naruto played the game of tag cautiously still, as if debating what would be too bold. Sasuke helped him let go of those thoughts, letting the blond know he couldn't make a wrong move as they entered the moist cavern of his own mouth and exchanged soft touches.

Naruto grew braver and pushed closer to the raven, thus pressing his tongue more against Sasuke's and trying to induce a battle.

Sasuke smirked.

Naruto gasped a little as a pale hand positioned on his neck and tilted it back more while the opponent tongue pushed his own backward into his mouth.

Sasuke took a breath in through his nose as he shoved his tongue as far down Naruto's throat as he could possibly reach.

Naruto knew he had lost the battle already, but he didn't give in so easily.

He pressed his head forward, burying his hands in Sasuke's dark locks and pulling them impossibly closer together, waging war with the other in his mouth.

Sasuke stepped forward and Naruto took one back, backing them up until the back of the blond's legs hit the couch. He fell back and Sasuke followed, the connection of their mouths breaking briefly. They used that opportunity to gather a breath of air before continuing their battle.

Hands caressed, skin brushed, and tongues clashed as they continued until Naruto finally conceded and let Sasuke usurp his mouth for a victory.

Said raven pulled away from the mouth he had acclaimed, a string of saliva connecting between their lips before breaking swiftly.

He smirked as Naruto panted to catch his breath.

"I win," he said, and Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Yea, this time. But if you think you're getting a complacent little uke, then you're sadly mistaken teme!"

Sasuke kissed the swollen lips beneath his own.

"I wouldn't want it any other way."

Naruto felt the blush on his face increase tenfold and he looked away from the pale porcelain face above him.

"Never pinned you as the hopeless romantic type teme," he mumbled.

"I have my moments, dobe."

* * *

The tap of Jiraiya's left suede shoe against the meeting table played in sync with the ticking of the clock hanging above the doorway.

Gaara stretched out his arm, hiking up the sleeve of his black business suit and took a glance at the silver watch that seemed to constantly cling to his wrist.

"_He has one minute."_

His light emerald eyes flitted over to Jiraiya's dark brown ones, relaying the silent message.

Shikamaru sat on the end of the table, as far away from Gaara as possible. He would let himself steal a gaze every now and then, before turning his head away and berating himself for wanting something he could never possess.

Chouji sat beside him, drumming his fingers impatiently on the surface of the table in place of munching on food. (Food, which to his terror, was not allowed in the Sabaku Modeling Studios' break room.)

"He's aware of this meeting, isn't he Jiraiya-san?" Gaara said from across the table. To the normal bystander his tone would have seemed level-headed and tolerant, but Jiraiya had known Gaara for too long to be deceived. The redhead's eyes were sharp and critical with an icy backbite.

"Yes, he knows," Jiraiya said firmly. "When he left this morning he said that he was going to go over some problems with the script for _Crimson Eyes_ with Deidara."

Gaara shifted slightly in his seat.

"_Thirty seconds."_

As what little time remained before Naruto was deemed late ticked by, a light haze of discomfort settled over the enclosed room, only to be shattered by the loud slam of the two wide doors to the meeting room opening.

"Ita-san, s-stop!" Deidara laughed, shoving Itachi half-heartedly in the ribs as the raven tickled his tongue against the blond's pulse.

"No PDA in my building," Gaara snapped, his eyes narrowed at the blatant display.

"Gomen, gomen un!" Deidara said, quickly straightening up.

"Hn," Itachi said, releasing his blond. He winced as Deidara stomped on his foot. "Gomen nasai," he corrected himself. He and the blond rounded the table and sat side-by-side, molding into the uneasy quiet of the room.

"Where is Naruto?" Jiraiya asked shakily, anger and anxiety boiling beneath the surface of his tone.

"I haven't seen Naruto-sama since yesterday, un," Deidara said, his nose scrunching a little in confusion.

"Really? Because this morning before he left he spouted something about running lines with you."

Deidara froze for a moment, his face blank before the ripples of panic began to ebb over his tan face.

"Oh, that!" he said hurriedly, waving a hand back and forth. "I-I mean we did! I must've forgotten! He said that he was tired so he went home to take a nap before the meeting."

"Naruto doesn't take naps," Jiraiya deadpanned.

"Oh…" Deidara wriggled in his seat uncomfortably. "I uh…"

The blond was spared the trouble of fishing out another excuse when the doors to the meeting room opened, and the raucous laughter of a certain whiskered superstar bounced off the uncomfortable space in the meeting room.

Jiraiya's eyes burned and he gnashed his teeth when he saw a pale hand on Naruto's hip, connected to a slightly smiling Uchiha.

Naruto's laughter ceased when he faced his friends and employers at the table, all staring at him with blank faces. He flicked his eyes to his father, who looked like he was about to pounce over the table and bitch slap Sasuke into oblivion.

"Am I late?" Naruto asked cautiously, the silence of the room unnerving him.

"You cut it close," Gaara said. "But still made it. Let's get down to business then."

* * *

To say that the meeting had been uncomfortable would have been an understatement by leaps and bounds.

Through the entire conference Jiraiya hadn't taken his burning eyes off of Sasuke, while Gaara seemed to be burning a hole through the blond's head. Deidara was looking down at his hands folded in his lap, even when he spoke, for fear of catching someone's fiery gaze.

An hour later when the meeting had adjourned, Naruto felt like he could finally breath again under the crushing atmosphere.

"Let's get outta here," Naruto murmured quickly to Sasuke, his chair scuffing against the floor as he stood quickly, only to have his collar yanked backward.

"Ouch! What th-"

"I want to have a talk with you, Naruto," Jiraiya gritted out before taking Naruto back into the lounge and locking the door.

"That's very well, since I'd also like a word with you, Uchiha-san," Gaara said as he approached Sasuke, calm as ever.

"Hn. You're not going to lock me in a room, are you?" Sasuke asked, and Gaara shook his head.

"This is fine. Everyone has already left anyways. I don't blame them after that tense meeting. I thought Deidara-san was going to burst into tears."

"So what is it you want?" Sasuke asked, sitting back down into one of the comfortable chairs set around the table.

"I would like to speak to you about Naruto," Gaara said, remaining standing. "Sabaku Modeling Studios is, in a word, my life. Naruto is my most popular and successful model. He has never missed a shoot, or been late for a conference a day in his life. I made it very clear to him in his requirements when I hired him that these were the two golden rules he would follow always. But today he almost broke one of those rules, and the cause is you, Uchiha-san."

"How am I to blame?" Sasuke asked, slightly miffed.

"It is none of my business what Naruto does in his personal life, but I do not need you distracting him from his work. I simply request that you do not hinder his performance."

"Hn," Sasuke said. "Fine."

"Oh, and one more thing. All formality aside, Naruto is a very close friend of mine, and if you hurt him I will rip your balls through your ass."

Sasuke watched as Gaara left the room, as calmly as he had come.

For some reason Sasuke had a feeling that the redhead was far from joking.

* * *

Naruto let out an "oof" as Jiraiya plunked him down onto the couch in the lounge.

"Where the hell were you!?" he hissed. "You were almost late, and you know that Gaara doesn't tolerate that kind of crap!"

"I'm sorry, I lost track of time with…" Naruto stopped himself from continuing, scratching the back of his head.

"With the Uchiha brat?" Jiraiya filled in, crossing his arms.

"He has a name, Dad," Naruto snapped back.

"I really couldn't care less, since you're not seeing him again!"

"You can't do that!" Naruto shouted, standing. "I'm twenty-two not twelve! Even if you are my manager, you don't have the right to interfere with my social life!"

"I do when it affects your work!"

"It's not! This isn't going to happen again, I know."

"Yea, sure it won't. You're going to keep getting 'caught up' as long as you're still with that Uchiha!"

"I'm not a kid, I don't say what I don't mean; you above all people should know that."

Jiraiya furrowed his eyebrows.

When had Naruto become so bold? So confident and defiant?

"And I'm not going to stop seeing Sasuke. He's my lover now, and you have no say in it. You can control my life to only a certain extent, Jiraiya-_san_."

Jiraiya watched blankly as Naruto unlocked the door to the lounge and strode out.

Naruto had only called Jiraiya "Jiraiya-san" when he had first learned to speak. He thought that he shouldn't call Jiraiya "Dad" because they hadn't been a family long enough, no matter how hard Jiraiya had tried to convince him that it was ok to call him his dad.

Nowadays Naruto called him Jiraiya-san when he was extremely angry. When Naruto became angry, he didn't scream and throw things or stomp around in a mad rage. He acted exactly as he did normally, and didn't say a word to Jiraiya. Jiraiya could deal with a blond that seemed to be on a PMSing rage, but a silent Naruto reminded him of when the blond had been mute in the orphanage.

It chipped at the fabric of his heart, undoing the threads day by day until Jiraiya finally conceded, just so he could hear Naruto's voice again.

Well not this time. Jiraiya was not going down with his ship without one hell of a fight.

* * *

Naruto's ruffled mood was immediately doused as he saw Sasuke waiting for him when he walked out of the lounge, and he smiled softly.

"You didn't tell me Gaara-san was prone to death threats," the raven said, linking his hand with Naruto's as they made their way out of the building.

"He did that huh? He makes good on those, so I'd be careful," Naruto chuckled.

"What else have you got to do today?"

"Rehearsal with Deidara, that's it. Why, have something planned?"

Sasuke grinned slightly as he approached his motorcycle.

* * *

Naruto's smile soon became a full blown grin, and then so wide a smile that his eyes shut.

"Sasuke! How did you do this?"

Naruto was staring at an enormous ice skating center, completely empty. Not even an employee was on the scene. Naruto had always wanted to learn to ice skate, but as a child was too frightened, and as an adult he would be recognized and horded by the paparazzi to easily.

"I know the manager," Sasuke shrugged, heading behind the front counter to grab two pairs of skates.

"And you got him to shut the place down to everyone except us?" Naruto gaped, catching the pair of skates Sasuke tossed him.

"With some persuasion and good old blackmail. He was a pretty crazy club hopper at one point."

Naruto laughed as he sat down to lace up his skates.

"Do those fit alright?" Sasuke asked, dealing with his own.

"Yea, they're great! Hey Sasuke, how'd you know I wanted to do this?"

"I didn't. It just seems like something you would enjoy."

Naruto smiled softly as he watched Sasuke's milky white fingers finish up the laces on his skates.

"You really know me well then," Naruto said quietly. Sasuke looked up.

"Hn," he said, smiling gently, just for Naruto.

The two of them approached the ice and Sasuke slid on it immediately, not even pausing.

Naruto couldn't believe how graceful Sasuke looked. He defined the phrase "poetry in motion". The carves he made in the ice were smooth but sharp, and his precision was unmatched.

"How'd you get so good?" Naruto asked in awe.

"Practice," Sasuke replied. "I like cold places, so I came here a lot as a kid."

"Wish I could've done that."

"Why didn't you then?"

"I was scared of…well, people in general when I was a kid."

Sasuke skid to a halt in front of Naruto.

"Not scared anymore, right?" he said, holding out his hand to Naruto.

Naruto smiled so brightly that Sasuke swore the lights would blow from the energy.

"Not regular people at least," he said, taking Sasuke's hand into his own and wobbling onto the ice, Sasuke there to catch him if he fell.

* * *

**Oh mai, Sasuke's got Jiraiya AND Gaara on his ass now. And Naruto is growing bolder? But what about Shika and Gaara? Tell me your thoughts! ^^**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	14. Dangerous Relations

Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!

**2nd Disclaimer: I don't own any songs mentioned in this fic!

* * *

**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Summer is finally here! I'm very happy ^^ Unfortunately though I am taking a summer class, so you guys will have to wait until the second half of summer for faster updates...  
**

**Reviwer Questions:**

**To DamaHuerta: Yes, Anko was a traitor, and yes, she is now Naruto's trainer. Things to be revealed later...**

**To Darling425: No, it's not a typo ;p I'm glad to see that more and more people are catching this ^o^ There are many things to be revealed in chapters ahead! And of course your review matters! I read every one of my reviews and cherish them all! And no, you didn't annoy me at all lol. It's nice to have some good old fashion critique. And I realized that blond vs blonde thing shortly after I released this chapter, and now it annoys the hell out of me when I see it in other stories lol.**

**To Pebble of the Sand: I apologize, my updates aren't on a schedule. I had a long period of writer's block after the last chapter, and I would appreciate it if you would be patient with me "for petes sake" as you said. I have vowed never to abandon a fic, and I always keep my word. As a writer you should understand.

* * *

**

**Chapter Dedication: For Kate Louise K. Such a lovely review, I feel so honored! ^^ And thank you everyone else for your wonderful reviews and support! I feel so flattered!

* * *

**

**Chapter Fourteen: Dangerous Relations**

Jiraiya kept his eyes trained on his bisque as he uncharacteristically stirred it several times. Across from him sat the owner of _Akatsuki Studios_, a man called Pein.

His red hair was tamely spiked around his face, brushing against the nape of his neck and akin to Naruto's. His eyebrows, chin, ear, and just about every other part of his face was pierced with silver studs. The suit he wore was black with a white undershirt, the red cloud symbol for his modeling studio imprinted on his right breast. His wine red eyes were deep and calculating in an almost cynical fashion as he stared across the table at Naruto.

Naruto didn't meet Pein's gaze, mimicking Jiraiya's actions as he swirled his bisque around.

Jiraiya finally dropped his spoon nosily against the porcelain bowl and cleared his throat.

"Thank you for inviting us to lunch Pein-san, but may I ask the nature of this kind invitation?" he said as levelly as possible. He felt slightly humbled in the presence of this man. A multimillionaire on par with Gaara, Pein owned a booming chain of modeling studios over various cities and states, collectively known as _Akatsuki_. Not only was their modeling studio as popular as _Sungakure,_ but they had many more of their agencies stationed in different countries, and thus were more profitable.

"Of course," Pein said, finally removing his eyes from Naruto, though the blond's body remained tense. The redhead took a sip from his wine, then placed it back down and interlaced his hands neatly on the table.

"As you're well aware _Akatsuki_ is growing more and more popular in leaps and bounds everyday due to our studios becoming more widespread for new talent. But then very, very few slide through our qualifications and expectations." Pein smiled slightly and flicked his eyes back to Naruto, who shivered slightly under the weight of the man's stare.

"But Naruto-kun undoubtedly _has._" Naruto looked up as soon as the words left the redhead's lips.

He wouldn't deny that Pein was a handsome man, and surprisingly young as well. He couldn't have been more than three years older than Naruto himself. Naruto wondered how such a young man could become so vastly wealthy in such a short period of time, but then he would also have to question himself.

"I…what?" Jiraiya said slowly, blinking twice. Naruto was as befuddled as his guardian, taking a sip from his wineglass.

"Getting straight to the point, I want Naruto-kun to model for _Akatsuki._"

If Naruto were any less of a man then he would have spit out his wine the moment it met his mouth. But since Jiraiya was present, he folded his lips inward and choked the tart liquid down.

"This…th-this…" Jiraiya stumbled over his words, searching Pein for any hint of sarcasm. He found not a trace. "This is such an honor."

"I decline."

Jiraiya whipped his head over to Naruto, who stared Pein down sternly.

"You decline??" Jiraiya spouted, beating Pein to the question. Naruto nodded.

"I have a ten year contract with _Sungakure Studios_."

"Hm," Pein said, eyebrows bouncing slightly in surprise. "You realize that you would be making twice the amount you currently are at Sabaku's and your popularity would reach impossible heights?"

"It already has," Naruto said. "I can't stand the popularity I sustain now, so why would I want more?"

"Naruto," Jiraiya said dangerously, but the blond ignored him entirely.

"Furthermore, the amount of money I am paid to work at Sungakure already has too many number places in it for me to even remember let alone count. I have also personally tied myself to _Sungakure _through Gaara Sabaku. Thanks for the offer, but no thanks. I belong to _Sungakure_."

Jiraiya watched, open-mouthed as Naruto stood, silently excusing himself, and exited the restaurant.

Pein looked after the blond, and then did what Jiraiya would have never expected if a multi-millionaire that had just been brushed off.

He smiled.

"That's quite the firecracker you have there sir," he said, lifting his wineglass to his lips once more.

"I'm terribly sorry, he-"

"He what? Isn't afraid to exert his opinion?" Pein chuckled. "This just raises Naruto-kun's value as a model in my eyes. He has personality, and that is the most valuable possession a model can have. Rest assured Jiraiya-san, I intend to do what I can to persuade Naruto-kun."

Pein stood, placing down a check for the meal, and left the building, leaving Jiraiya in his continued state of shock.

* * *

Pein stepped into his limo gracefully as the door was opened for him, and he settled himself down in a seat, letting out a wisp of a breath.

"So?" the woman already sitting in the vehicle asked. She stared at the young redhead curiously, like an alley cat eying up a plump, cornered mouse.

"No," Pein said simply, shrugging his shoulders slightly. The woman scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, her dyed blue hair leaping forward over her shoulders as the limo pulled out abruptly.

"No?" she repeated back in case she had been mistaken. Pein nodded. "The little brat. How could he say no?"

"It's Sabaku. He is fiercely loyal to Gaara-san."

"That studio has been a thorn in our side since we became big," the blue-haired woman hissed, glaring at the floor. "What do you propose we do about that?"

Pein tipped his head back and closed his eyes in thought, expelling a breath through his nose.

"Naruto-kun emphasized how he was _personally_ loyal to Sabaku. He and Sabaku must have a special friendship or something to that effect."

"Your point?"

Pein tilted his head to look over at the woman. "An empire wasn't built on impatience, Konan."

Konan rolled her eyes and folded her arms crossly.

"As I was saying, Naruto-kun has a special relationship with Sabaku. This must indicate that he is more of an emotional person than one drawn to business, otherwise our extremely generous offer would not have been declined. If there was some way for Naruto to become attached to someone who works for our studio, perhaps one of our models, then he would join us for the sake of company."

"Would blondie really forget about Sabaku so easily?" Konan scoffed.

"True." Pein ran a hair through his hair in thought. "Well the worst times seem to brings people together the most. Perhaps if a traumatic event were to happen to Naruto-kun and one of our models just happened to be the one there to comfort him in his hour of need, a "special" bond could be formed. Perhaps traumatic in the form of loosing a lover of some sort?"

"I wasn't aware that Naruto-kun had a girlfriend," Konan said. "That manager of his keeps the boy so consistently single."

"True," Pein sighed.

"Family?"

"Kid's an orphan."

Konoan scoffed. "One hell of an orphan." There was a thin pause in the limo. "What about his manager? Doesn't Jiraiya-san also double as Naruto-kun's father?"

"Yes, so?"

"_So_ you dipshit, what if something…_unfortunate_ were to befall our dear Jiraiya-san, and no friends of Naruto-kun's could be there to comfort him because they got "caught up" and the only one there to offer a shoulder to cry on would be one of our models?"

Pein processed Konan's words before a grin formed over his pierced lips.

"Get Madara on the line."

* * *

Naruto shook his head as he turned his car around a corner. How could that man even ask him to join _Akatsuki_ when he obviously knew that he belonged to _Sungakure_? It didn't matter if every other model in the world would give up their arms and legs to be in Naruto's position. Naruto had personally pledged his loyalty to Gaara. End of story.

Caught up in his inner tirade, Naruto looked up briefly to see a red light, but didn't register the color. As cars suddenly honked and beeped, he gasped and looked up, smashing his brakes in time to screech to a stop inches away from a man using the crosswalk.

"Oh my god!" Naruto said, pulling his vehicle out of the light and to the side as he burst from his car and ran over to the man who had stumbled to the ground in surprise.

"I'm so sorry! Are you OK?" he asked hurriedly.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," the man said, and Naruto paused as he actually got a good look at him.

Beautiful. This man was…gorgeous. Almost as handsome as Sasuke was.

Almost.

His black hair fell in slightly spiked shards around his young, pale face, illuminating his dark coal eyes. His hair reached further down to his mid back, tied in a ponytail. His lips were curved in a gentle and forgiving smile. He wore a slick leather coat that met his worn but comfortable looking jeans.

"Um are _you_ OK?" the man asked.

"Oh yea! Sorry," Naruto chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "I kinda dazed out." Naruto held out his hand, and the man took it gratefully as he stood from the walkway.

They jumped as cars honked at them, the light now green, and they hurried off the crosswalk to the sidewalk.

Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly and stuck out his hand again.

"Sorry again, I'm--"

"Uzumaki Naruto," the man filled in. Naruto blinked back dumbly as the man shook his hand.

"How--"

The man pointed to a billboard behind them advertising a Sabaku clothing line, featuring the blond.

"You're everywhere," he chuckled, and Naruto blushed a little. "Heh, right…"

"Uzumaki-san! It's Uzumaki-san!" came a far off cry, and Naruto groaned.

"I'm so sorry," he sighed as the paparazzi stampeded towards them. He gasped a little as the man grabbed his hand and they sped off down the sidewalk. They stopped a minute later in front of a parked Bugatti, and the man unlocked it.

"_This_ is your ca--"

Naruto was cut off as the man jumped in and tugged the blond in to sit on the other side, closing both doors. As the paparazzi came up upon the car, Naruto gripped his seat as the car was thrown into drive and screeched out of its parking space.

Naruto's heart pounded as the stared at the expanse of road before him as they drove, clutching a hand over his chest, his skin prickly with surprise. He looked to his left as the handsome brunette drove.

"You alright?" the man asked, and Naruto nodded, sitting up.

"Y-yea…" He coughed a little.

"I uh never got your name."

"Madara."

"Well uh thanks for saving my butt back there, but what about my car?"

"I'll call to have it towed back to your house," Madara said, holding his cell phone to his ear as he spoke. After he had received directions from Naruto on where to tow his car and he had hung up, Naruto cleared his throat.

"So uh…how'd you afford this car--I mean if you don't mind me asking…cause this thing is supposedly the most expensive car you could possibly get, right?"

The man laughed a little and nodded. "It is, and we are both in the same business." Madara pointed to Naruto's feet, and the blond picked up a magazine laying on the ground by his shoes.

"You model for _Akatsuki_?" he asked as he saw Madara on the front cover posing in an undeniably sexy fashion.

"Hn."

Naruto blinked. That "hn" sounded exactly like Sasuke's. Come to think of it, this _man_ looked a lot like Sasuke minues the longer hair…

"Uh, excuse me Madara-san…"

"Madara is fine," the raven said, flashing Naruto a smile.

"Ok, Madara…are you in any way related to the Uchihas?"

"Uchiha? No I'm afraid not," Madara said, scrunching his elegant eyebrows a little in confusion. "Why?"

"Nothing, you just look like an Uchiha I know is all."

"I see."

Twenty minutes later of giving Madara directions again they pulled up to Naruto's house.

"Arigatou," Naruto said as he stepped out of the car.

"Anytime," Madara said. "I have to say, you live up to your reputation."

"Reputation?" Naruto asked, turning around.

"At Akatsuki we call you the nine-tailed _fox_."

Naruto felt his cheeks flush a little as Madara drove off.

"Pfft," Naruto huffed as he left.

* * *

Sasuke sighed as he walked to Tsunade's office, a stack of papers under his arm as he sorted through a blue folder in his hands. Thin frame glasses were perched on the tip of his nose, sliding down more as he tilted his head forward to dip his eyes further down the contents of the folder.

"Tsunade-san," he said since he was unable to knock.

"Don't keep me waiting Uchiha," he heard Tsunade say from behind the door, and he pushed it open with his back, still not looking up from his files. He closed the door when he entered and sat down in the cushy chair in front of her desk.

Tsunade's eye twitched as Sasuke was still completely immersed in his file.

"Uchiha," she said.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted.

Tsunade rolled her eyes. She sat up from her chair, leaned over the desk, and slapped the file out of the raven's hand, making him jump and sending the papers under his arm flying.

"Sasuke!" she shouted into his face.

Sasuke closed his eyes and slowly wiped Tsunade's spit off of his face with the back of his hand.

"Yes?" he finally said.

Tsunade threw up her hands as she flopped back into her chair. "It's like your brain's been sucked into that file!"

"Hn. What did you want?"

"Well excuuuuuuuse me for disturbing your intimate moment with your folder, but I thought you might want this…" Tsunade handed Sasuke a white envelope, and the Uchiha took it cautiously. It couldn't be anything good, since he had received his paycheck not three days ago.

Tsunade's eyebrow twitched as Sasuke stared at the envelope like it was infected with a rare disease.

"Open it dammit!" she yelled, and Sasuke rolled his eyes as he did so. He let the envelope flutter to the floor as he pulled out a thin strip of paper. He scrunched his eyebrow at it, then flicked his gaze up to Tsunade.

"What's this?" he asked.

"A bonus," Tsunade said, grinning a little. "That interview with Naruto is the sole reason that G!amor:us sold out in one day after 10,000 issues were spread along Japan. They can't print to keep up with the demand. It's all thanks to you Uchiha."

Sasuke blinked. Tsunade was praising him for something? That must have been the first time she ever--

"Now get out."

"…what?"

"Get out! I have a meeting in here in ten minutes, idiot!" Tsunade hissed. Sasuke didn't need to be told twice. He left the room swiftly, shutting the door firmly behind him.

Tsunade smiled a little after him.

* * *

Jiraiya really hadn't expected lunch with Pein to go well. Before even entering the restaurant he had a feeling ringing in his ears that it was not to be a good afternoon meeting. But he was wrong. It was a _disaster._

Jiraiya paced in his office; around the front of the desk, to the back, to the corner of the room, to the door, rinse, lather and repeat.

He knew that he was still on bad terms with Naruto but he had at least thought his son would talk to him during the lunch instead of pretending that he wasn't even sitting at the table. It had been two weeks since Jiraiya's fight with Naruto, and the tension only seemed to grow worse. Naruto looked right through Jiraiya like the wind, and never took notice of him anymore. They didn't spend time anymore together, even when Naruto was working. In fact Jiraiya hardly ever saw his son these days since on the evening after the fight Naruto moved into the Uchiha's house. All that he left was an empty room, stripped of its owners belongings.

Jiraiya had never seen Naruto so serious about being with someone before. Even when he parted from Kiba, his first real flame, he had never taken drastic measures. Sure he had cried in his room, and in the shower…and at breakfast…and in the bathroom…but he recovered from the loss. Jiraiya realized that this was now an entirely different playing field.

Naruto was twenty-two, not seventeen. He had a steady and very high paying career and could easily support himself without Jiraiya. Although Jiraiya was Naruto's manager, he knew that he could be replaced in a heartbeat if Naruto said the magic words. Naruto was also living with his lover. Looking at things realistically, Jiraiya knew that he couldn't make Naruto come home, or even tell him where his home was anymore.

Jiraiya slowed in his pacing, and sighed as he dragged himself to his chair, swiveling it to face the large window behind him overlooking the lush garden in the backyard.

It was time to face facts. Naruto didn't need him.

He didn't need daddy anymore

* * *

**Kind of a sad chapter...but at the same time we have some trouble brewing for Naruto and Jiraiya...please tell me what you think!  
**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun  
**

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	15. A Different Kind of Thief

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None! **

**2nd Disclaimer: I don't own any songs mentioned in this fic! **

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Blaaah I'm tired. I'm really getting sick of this semester; the repetitiveness is killing me X( Currently recovering from a very strange allergic reaction that caused me to have little red bumps all over my hands and fingers that itched like HELL. It's almost healed, which is really good because it was difficult to do anything with my hands because they were unbearably itchy. (Much worse than the time I got poison ivy on my neck by far!)**

**Reviwer Questions:**

**To **_**ALpein**_**: I realize you didn't' have a question, but I just wanted to say that I;ve never heard of anyone using "Naruru" as a nickname for Naruto, and I love it! It's so cute and funny! ^^**

**To **_**Uchizaki**_**: Madara is 26 years old here. Naruto is 22, so their ages aren't that far ;p**

**To **_**hanakisa**_**: Lol, yes I know Madara is an Uchiha, but for the sake of the story Naruto doesn't ;p

* * *

**

**Chapter Dedication: **_**For BlackFireXD13, ALpein, norway22, **_**and**_** ForgottenPassword. **_**Such lovely reviews! I am so honored to receive all of this praise!! ^^

* * *

**

.

**Chapter Fifteen: A Different Kind of Thief**

**.  
**

Madara smirked at the sour look on Naruto's face when he drove off after dropping the blond by his house.

Undeniably cute and sexy, for sure.

Madara knew that it would certainly be interesting if he tried to pursue Naruto. They would of course appear on the cover of every magazine as a celebrity couple and Naruto's first advertised lover since his burst of fame. This would provide much more publicity which was excellent, and yet Madara had a feeling that Naruto's manager wouldn't be too happy about it.

Then again, Naruto was what, twenty-two? He could make his own decisions. And if it didn't work out then at least both of their popularity ratings rose. And there was the prospect of sex.

Oh yes, mustn't forget that huge plus.

All in all, it was worth courting Naruto, Madara deemed. He started a little as his cell phone rang, and he flipped it open.

"What?" he said as he held the device to his ear.

"_I have a special assignment for you,"_ Pein's distinctive voice said over the line.

"Special? As in the publicly humiliating sort of 'special'?" Madara asked, rolling his eyes as he stopped at a red light.

"_More along the lines of a devious sort of 'special'."_

"I'm listening."

"_I want you to woo Uzumaki Naruto."_

Madara smirked and his engine roared as the light flashed green.

Oh yes, this was a glorious day indeed.

* * *

Naruto walked the rest of the way to Sasuke's apartment, not wanting to reveal his real address to Madara. Having just met the man Naruto really didn't know what to expect from him after all.

Naruto loosened the tie around his neck as he stumbled lethargically into the den, flopping on the couch with a slight bounce.

He sighed and tipped his head to look at the clock hanging over the mantle.

Sasuke wouldn't be home for another two hours.

Naruto decided that some mind-numbing television was well deserved, so he swiped the remote and began channel surfing.

He yawned loudly as his finger jammed the same button over and over and the TV flashed a new program every second. He finally stopped on the news channel.

"_-where he was caught on a camera phone running down one of the streets on the eastern side of Kiyose early that morning."_

If Naruto had been drinking something, anything, he would have spit it out all over Sasuke's couch and table at that moment, but since he wasn't he settled for guffawing at the television as he watched himself sprint across the screen in his underwear.

"Oh…my god," he finally choked. "Oh crap, oh…Jiraiya! Oh shit, oh no," Naruto moaned, gripping his hair to the roots and leaning back all the way until he was staring up at the ceiling.

Naruto blipped off the TV, not wanting to see a replay of the scene. He flung out his hand, searching for something. His hand gripped a pillow, and he slapped it over his face. He dug his fingernails into the fabric, and released a muffled terror-filled scream.

* * *

Naruto hadn't realized that after screaming until his lungs were fried and the pillow was quite abused, that he had fallen asleep on the couch. And the only reason he realized this was because the doorbell of the apartment had awoken him.

Naruto leapt up (pillow still clutched tightly to his chest) and rushed to the door, pulling it open hastily.

"Madara?" he said for confirmation, still half-asleep.

"Good evening Naruto-kun," the raven said, smiling in an admittedly charming way. His eyes lowered to the pillow Naruto seemed determined to choke, and he looked back up at the blond. "Did I wake you?"

Naruto quickly looked down, blushing at the poor mangled pillow in his arms, and held it behind his back, quickly throwing it inside as casually as possible.

"N-no," he said, grinning nervously. "I was just ah…meditating!"

Madara scrunched his eyebrows. "Medi—"

"So! Uh, what did you need?" Naruto quickly intercepted, trying to look casual as he leaned nervously against the doorframe and crossed his legs.

"Oh. Well I thought you might want this recovered." Madara took a disc out of his coat pocket, holding it out to Naruto. "It's the footage the news showed this evening of you…ahem." Madara coughed, then chuckled a little as Naruto swiped the disc and broke it into multiple pieces like a deranged animal.

The blond panted as he finished, throwing the pieces up into the air like confetti and wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.

"Phew…thank you," he said, grinning brightly, and Madara couldn't help but feel himself smiling as well. Sexy, funny, and cute. Oh yes, what an enjoyable task this would be.

"I don't know what I would have done if my manager had seen that. Is that the only copy?" Naruto asked. Madara nodded.

"I had the others destroyed," he said. "A little bribing can go a long way at the news station."

"Wow, thanks!" Naruto said, unable to stop grinning. "I really can't thank you enough! I totally owe you one."

"How about instead I just take one to go," Madara smirked.

"One what?" Naruto asked, and his eyes widened as Madara leaned in a stole a kiss. As they parted the raven licked his lips appreciatively.

"Thank you, Kyuubi no Kitsune-kun," he purred before pocketing his hands, turning around, and walking down the steps to his car parked on the curb.

Naruto, red as a beet, watched him zoom away. He abruptly slammed the door, ran back into the apartment, seized the garbled pillow from the floor, and released another scream into its fluffy depths.

* * *

Iruka didn't much mind the fact that Naruto had moved out and he wasn't his driver anymore.

And he never got to see him.

And he felt empty without seeing that smile.

And…oh hell, of course he minded! Naruto was like a son to Iruka, and though he realized that it was well about time for Naruto to leave the nest, he couldn't help but miss the blond.

Jiraiya was taking it much worse, but then again Iruka knew that he would too if Naruto were furious with him.

The man was lethargic and uninterested in his business anymore, and not to mention his grouchiness had elevated to the point where it rivaled Tsunade's. Iruka knew he shouldn't get involved and was Jiraiya's employee first and friend second. Still, he attempted to comfort the man.

It was fruitless, of course.

Iruka for his part couldn't help but side with Naruto. He was old enough to do what he wanted, when he wanted. If he made a mistake, then oh well- that was all part of growing and learning. And Iruka knew better than anyone that Naruto had a lot of learning to do.

Then there was the matter of Shikamaru and his little affair with Gaara. It didn't surprise him when Shikamaru drank his soul away, pouring out the whole story to Iruka in the limo, too drunk to drive himself anywhere. (It didn't help when he popped open a bottle of champagne in the limo and gulped it down messily). He knew that Shikamaru was a drinker, and when he was drunk, he was a mess.

He couldn't really take a side on this particular conflict. Gaara and Shikamaru both had their work, but Gaara more so and he didn't need to paparazzi finding out about Shikamaru. Then again Shikamaru deserved someone to love, and it seemed almost unfair for Gaara to deny him when he obviously shared the same feelings.

Iruka sighed, leaning back on his couch and propping his feet up on the coffee table. He turned on the television, happy that he wasn't involved in the tangled web of what were his friends' lives.

* * *

Sasuke arrived home late after editing an extremely long article as a favor to one of the writers in the building. Ordinarily he wasn't one for favors, but one look from Tsunade around the corner of his office told him that for a few hours he was to think otherwise.

He shrugged his laptop case off of his shoulder roughly, catching it before it fell to the ground and hanging the strap on the coat rack along with his jacket.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow when he saw Naruto laying face-down on his couch, head smothered in a pillow.

The raven smirked mischievously, sidling soundlessly over to the blond. He carefully crawled onto the couch and over the man until he was looking down at Naruto's blond mop of hair on his hands and knees. His skin prickled with the prospects of his future actions, and he swiftly licked his lips before swooping down and capturing a tan ear between his teeth.

He shivered as a muffled groan from Naruto racked through his body.

Naruto wriggled under him as he teased the ear, licking its expanse up and down, nibbling the lobe between his canines gently before nipping his way along the outer shell.

Naruto hummed in his sleep and tilted his head towards Sasuke's mouth, attempting to bring that moist heat in deeper.

Sasuke felt a sinking warmth gravitate and pool in his abdomen, and he sighed longingly, thinking of all he could be doing with Naruto if he weren't asleep at the moment.

Kissing, hugging, teasing, making lo—

Sasuke released Naruto's earlobe at once at the thought, sitting straight up on the couch, rigid as a board. Normally the thought of being so intimate with one's partner would make a man's libido shoot through the roof, but Sasuke was the opposite. In fact, he was terrified.

Dreading it, even.

Naruto was, in a word, perfection. He had no flaws but the scars on his cheeks, which only seemed to enhance his godliness. And Sasuke knew from a poster he had seen at Sungakure Studios even before they had met that Naruto had nothing but an endless expanse of gold beauty to offer under those clothes.

And what did Sasuke have to offer?

Sasuke unconsciously rubbed the back of his next, looking away from Naruto.

Impurities. Imperfection. In other words, _flaws._

Sasuke had strangely shaped scars all over his body. He'd even gotten a tattoo on his neck to cover up a particularly large one there where the rest seemed to branch off of. Sasuke knew that he was handsome, and everyone else he met told him so, and yet he was reluctant to reveal anymore of himself than he was required to.

Sasuke jolted a little as Naruto stirred, turning over in his sleep.

Then there was the actual sexual act itself.

Sasuke was not a flirtatious man. He wasn't frivolous, kissing every date and bringing them back to his apartment for a quick wham-bam-thank-you-m'am. Sasuke was reserved, and disliked anyone touching him, even if he was dating the person at the time. Kissing was unwanted, and even exchanged flirtatious remarks were out of the question. So naturally, Sasuke had never experienced any intimate act besides light kissing; he had never wanted to progress further. But now, when he found himself at the point of wanting to show this amazing person just how much he loved him, that he really was _in_ love with him, he was at a loss.

Sasuke was, through and through, unequivocally, absolutely, undeniably, irrefutably, a virgin.

He swallowed and looked at Naruto, turning his head so those dusty pink lips were looking right at him, slightly parted and just waiting to be lavished.

Sasuke made a decision right then and there as he lunged for those lips: he would do it and get it over with so quickly that he wouldn't have the time to be nervous, and Naruto wouldn't have time to see that he didn't know what the hell he was doing.

Naruto groaned a little and opened his eyes as his lips were pecked and massaged to the point of submission.

"Sasu?" he said sleepily in between a kiss, Sasuke's scent wavering all around him. Naruto's eyes practically leapt from his skull as he was whisked up off of the couch, Sasuke carrying him like cargo over his shoulder to the bedroom.

"Sa-Sasuke!" Naruto shouted (yelped). Sasuke wasn't even bothering to pay attention.

He was a man on a mission.

Naruto hit Sasuke's back a few times in frustration before he was unceremoniously dropped onto the raven's bed, said man climbing on top of him albeit very sexily.

"Sasu—" Naruto was cut off as Sasuke tilted the blond's chin up and their mouths crashed together.

Sasuke couldn't believe how good Naruto still tasted even when he had kissed the man so many times that he was sure he had worn the exquisite flavor away, and yet here it was.

Naruto gripped Sasuke's shoulders harshly, giving a great push with his arms and forcing the raven away, their lips breaking with a smack.

"Enough!" Naruto said, panting from all of the sudden excitement as he attempted to regain some of his composure (of course he knew now it was impossible to regain _all_ of it). He sighed after a moment, staring at his lover with calculating eyes.

"What's wrong with you, Sasuke?" he finally asked.

Sasuke opened his mouth to immediately answer, but then closed it. How could he phrase this without sounding so demanding? You, me, sex, now! No, no, that sounded awful. He wanted something that would get Naruto in the mood too. You must have been a nail in a past life, 'cause I'm about to hammer you!

Sasuke rolled his eyes up to the ceiling; this really wasn't his area of expertise.

Naruto raised an eyebrow as Sasuke hovered above him, eyes lifted to the ceiling as he seemed to be thinking very methodically.

"Sasuke," Naruto said, and Sasuke snapped out of his thoughts, returning his gaze to Naruto beneath him. He decided to just take the plunge.

Naruto jumped a little in surprise as Sasuke attacked his lips once more with a vengeance, hands gravitating to the rim of his shirt and slinking under it.

Naruto pushed back on Sasuke's shoulders, trying to get a word in edge-wise, but the raven only sped his kissing pace as his fingers explored Naruto's abdomen. Naruto couldn't help but lean into the heated touch longingly, his insistent pushing against Sasuke's shoulders close to growing weaker.

Sasuke smirked into the kiss, happy to see Naruto being more cooperative now. He began stripping Naruto of his clothes, first his shirt followed by his pants, their mouths never parting but in fact delving deeper to taste each other. Sasuke removed his pants swiftly, hands questing over his lover's skin, appreciating the dips and curves of his muscles.

Naruto gripped the base of Sasuke's hair firmly as they kissed in a frenzy. His other hand, to Sasuke's horror, began sliding his shirt up.

Naruto almost face-planted off the bed as Sasuke rocketed ten feet backward, tugging down his shirt hurriedly before Naruto could notice.

"What the hell Sasuke!?" Naruto huffed. "You're acting so weird today!"

Sasuke's mind flipped through excuses until the lamest one spilled from this mouth:

"I need to take a shower." Naruto stared incredulously at him as he strode off to the conjoining bathroom, locking the door behind him.

The blond stood as he heard the shower begin to run, going over to the door.

"Have you forgotten to take any necessary medication today, Sasuke?" he said, knocking on the door.

"Dobe!" was the muffled reply, and Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Emo."

* * *

**Sasuke's getting a little foxy!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**


	16. Bottoms Up

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None! **

**2nd Disclaimer: I don't own any songs mentioned in this fic! **

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: I know what you all are thinking: "How **_**dare you**_**! How **_**dare you**_** return and post a chapter for this story after we've waited and **_**waited**_** for you!" ….well, that's how I would be anyway. I'm sorry for the hiatus. (Bla bla excuses bla bla explanations bla bla apologies bla bla reasons bla bla bla.) Well I know it won't make up for it but this chapter is extra-long as a treat for you. And…there are (cough cough) lemons. Yes, there is a lemon in this chapter…but a lot of you will hate me after it. (I promise.) I will post the lemon to my livejournal account and give the link in this chapter. (Don't include spaces.)**

…**..please don't kill me.**

**WARNING: Lemony fresh.**

* * *

**.  
**

**Chapter Sixteen: Bottoms Up**

**.  
**

Sasuke drummed his dull fingernails against his kitchen table, sitting in his chair heavily. His eyes were narrowed to Itachi across the table whom was unresponsively eating the dinner Sasuke had made.

As Sasuke implemented more pressure on his fingers and the drumming grew louder, Itachi flicked his eyes up from his plate to his younger brother. He patiently took a sip from his red wine glass and Sasuke bristled a little.

"Itachi," he finally bit out.

"Hn?" Itachi replied, picking through his food with his chopsticks.

"I fed your 'starving body', now tell me why you're here," Sasuke grit between his teeth, shut tighter than a bear trap.

Itachi sighed wearily and took his napkin from his lap, wiping his mouth before placing it on his mostly emptied platter. He leaned his chin on a smooth palm and smirked at his brother across the table.

"Surprisingly good cooking Sasu-chan."

"Itachi…" Sasuke hissed, blood boiling. He had to wake up early the next morning for work and didn't need his nuisance of a brother wasting his time.

"Fine then," Itachi said, placing his hands up in surrender. "I was merely complimenting your culinary skills but judging by your reaction it was unneeded." Itachi interlaced his fingers and rested his chin upon the bridge they made. "I have two very important things to announce. First off, I proposed to Deidara and the marriage ceremony will be held in three months. You are to be my best man."

Sasuke blinked back at Itachi, his expression fading from impatient to vague.

"…really?" he asked carefully, and Itachi nodded.

"Deidara-kun and I have been in a serious relationship for four years now. It would be unfair of me to make him, and myself, wait any longer."

"Oh…alright," Sasuke said, thoroughly surprised.

"Second of a—" Itachi was cut off as his and Sasuke's head whipped around to the opening front door and a pair of footsteps on the carpet.

Sasuke didn't even have a chance to yell at the intruding person before he trailed across the living room to the kitchen. Sasuke grimaced at the familiar face and Itachi simply rolled his eyes up to the ceiling.

* * *

Naruto felt strange opening the door to his house for the first time in weeks, but he reasoned that he had tortured Jiraiya long enough; a make-up session was thoroughly needed.

Naruto took in a wisp of the chilly evening air before walking in briskly. The house seemed too empty and quiet for his liking. (Jiraiya at least had the news channel on at this time of night).

Naruto raised an eyebrow when he saw the living room deserted and the television off. He decided to make his way upstairs, hanging his jacket over the railing like he used to.

He padded down the maroon carpeted hallway, pressing an ear to Jiraiya's office door, the faint tapping of fingers against a keyboard echoing from the other side.

Naruto gripped the glossy golden doorknob, and upon seeing his nervousness reflected in it, quickly opened the door. Naruto wanted it to be fast, like ripping off a Band-Aid; the suspense and pain would only last for a few short seconds.

He was right in suspecting so, but the sight of Jiraiya's bent head and unshaven face did all but prick Naruto's heart.

"Dad," Naruto said earnestly, walking forward and placing a hand on Jiraiya's shoulder. Jiraiya looked up, eyes widening when he saw his son.

"You—" Jiraiya started, then cleared his throat and composed himself. "Here for the rest of your things?"

Naruto smirked and bopped Jiraiya across the head. "Ero-senin, don't be such a bastard to your son." Jiraiya's lips twitched into a relieved smile, and he stood, clapping Naruto on the back as he grinned, the years seeming to peel off of him.

"Come, I need to talk to you about something."

* * *

Madara smirked at the distasteful grimace Sasuke sent him, and he removed his coat.

"Cousins," he said, placing his coat over a chair inviting himself to the table, sitting by Itachi.

"Madara," Itachi said, nodding, and Sasuke grunted as he glared down at the table.

"It doesn't seem that Sasu-chan is very inviting, ne Itachi-kun?" Sasuke redirected his glare at his cousin, and Itachi ran a tired hand through his hair.

"I didn't even know you were coming here you piece of fu—"

"That, Madara, was impeccable timing on your part," Itachi interrupted Sasuke, much to Madara's amusement. "I was just about to inform Sasuke of your arrival."

"I see," Madara said, fixing a stare on his younger cousin. "Well then I'll explain from here then shall I?" Madara laced his fingers together on the table much like Itachi had done previously. "I'm in town for a shoot and thought, what better place to stay then with my long lost cousin?"

"How about in the gutter downtown?" Sasuke sneered, and Itachi threw him a warning glare.

"Father requested that you allow Madara residence in your home, Sasuke, seeing as you have room," Itachi said.

"Not anymore I don't," Sasuke shot back. "I can't house anyone else."

"Someone else is living here then?" Madara asked, a spark of curiosity lighting up behind his dark coal eyes.

Sasuke glared and Itachi sighed.

"If you don't tell me then I'll have to report to Fugaku-san about the welcome I received here," Madara said, and Sasuke steamed.

"My significant other," he gritted out, and Madara's eyebrows rose before he chuckled silkily in his throat.

"Really? Who knew you had a heart."

"You're one to talk," Sasuke sneered, and Madara held up his hands in admittance.

"So then, who is the lucky, or should I say, _unlucky_, one? Is it one of those love-struck cronies who followed you around in high school?"

"I'm not required to tell you," Sasuke practically hissed.

"Fair enough," Madara said. "A luxury hotel suite would suit me much better anyways; at least there the staff is more accommoda—"

"Get out!" Sasuke finally shouted.

* * *

"This is your fault, y'know that?" Naruto said, lips pressed together smugly as he crossed his legs and leaned back in his chair.

Jiraiya sighed, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees.

"You could've told me Ero-senin," Naruto said, tone becoming quieter.

"I know," Jiraiya admitted after a brief pause. "But I didn't want you to think I was making it all up."

"Yea, it does sound pretty crazy and all." Naruto grinned. "Anko sure is the last person I would have thought to do that." The blond's grin faded as he studied Jiraiya.

Jiraiya lifted his head at Naruto's sudden silence.

"What?"

"Why did you let her come to work for you after all that?"

Jiraiya smirked and leaned back in his seat. "When you turned sixteen I bumped into her again, but this time at the downtown gym. Turns out that she'd hated herself all those years for tricking me like that. She quit her job about two months after the expose on me was published she was so upset. She was working as a private coach at the gym. I offered her to become your personal coach, and the rest is history. She's been nothing short of a excellent friend and employee since then."

Naruto smiled as Jiraiya talked, seeing the nostalgia glisten in his eyes.

"Naruto, I just didn't want you to be in the same position I was," Jiraiya said honestly. "It ended up turning out well for me, but that doesn't mean that it will for you. Just…"

Jiraiya ran a tired hand through his hair before grinning and clapping his son on the shoulder.

"Just be careful, eh?"

Naruto blinked owlishly. "Does this mean you won't attack Sasuke every time you see me with him?"

"Don't push it," Jiraiya deadpanned.

* * *

"_Mmm Naruto," Sasuke groaned into the blond's mouth, their tongues intertwining as their bare bodies glided against one another in hot friction._

_Sasuke moved his hands from Naruto's sides to hover near more intimate areas, and Naruto purred in his throat, licking a hot trail up Sasuke's neck._

_Sasuke quivered in excitement, desire pouring into his abdomen and rushing out through his fingertips. He breathed in deeply, savoring the scent of lust that hung about the air._

_He would remember this—he knew he always would._

_Sasuke lifted himself up, pressing his hands against the bed as he hovered over Naruto._

_Naruto smirked and blew at a hanging strand of Sasuke's hair that fell longer than the rest, tickling his nose._

_This was his…Sasuke couldn't believe that this…this amazing person had chosen him. Out of every other person in the world it was __**him**__._

"_Sasuke," Naruto said, breaking the raven from his thoughts. He placed a golden hand on the back of Sasuke's neck, pulling his head down for a bottomless kiss._

"_Naruto," Sasuke replied as they parted softly._

"_Sasuke…Sasuke…Sasuke!"_

_Sasuke blinked down at Naruto as he suddenly shouted, gripping him by his shoulders and shaking him._

"_Sasuke! Sasuke!"_

…

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke startled awake, almost falling out of his chair at the kitchen table. Naruto shot out an arm and quickly steadied him by his shoulder.

Sasuke blinked, eyes adjusting to the sudden light, and Naruto came into focus.

"Dobe?" he said, almost unsure.

Naruto bristled a little. "Sasuke-teme! You scared the shit outta me!"

"Wha—" Naruto cut Sasuke off before he could even get a word out.

"I come in and you're splayed across the kitchen table, making weird noises and faces, so I try to wake you up and you almost have this chair episode, and then you call me a dobe! Last time I ever worry about you, you prick."

Sasuke blinked as his mind still hazy with lust slowly registered Naruto's ranting.

"Wake me up…" Sasuke felt two wires connect. "I was sleeping…?" He suddenly glared a little at Naruto. "Why did you wake me up? Idiot!"

"I thought you were having a nightmare or something, ok?" Naruto huffed, throwing his jacket on the table. "I'll stop my attempts to help you, since you're clearly beyond any form of help anyway with the way you've been such an asshole lately."

"Maybe you've just been more of an idiot lately," Sasuke snapped, his mouth running away with him, and he instantly regretted it at the look of hurt on Naruto's face.

"I'm going to the club with Jiraiya to see Genma and Asuma." Naruto murmured, looking away. Sasuke's eyes followed Naruto as he left the kitchen, heading for the door.

Sasuke sighed, letting his head fall back on the kitchen table as the door clicked. His craving for intimacy with Naruto was driving him mad- it seemed like every dream he had involved him and Naruto about to do what Sasuke had wanted them to for the past two weeks.

* * *

_Let's have some fun this beat is sick, I wanna take a ride on your disco stick._

Naruto raised an eyebrow as he entered the club, and he looked back at Raidou, who grinned and shrugged. Not his particular choice of music, but Naruto knew that whatever had a good beat to dance to was played at the club.

Naruto weaved through the crowd until he reached the private section. Scanning his card he was surprised to find upon the doors opening that it was just as packed in this section as it was in the public one. He supposed he shouldn't be so shocked considering that it was Saturday night.

Naruto looked over to the lounge where Jiraiya was supposed to meet him. Finding it empty Naruto decided to shake off some steam and dance. Sasuke's attitude certainly had him reeling with enough angry energy to set the dance floor ablaze. He took off his formal jacket, revealing a tight black tank top underneath that illuminated his golden skin and outlined his firm physique.

Naruto made his way to the dance floor, throwing himself into the beat of the music and heated swarm of dancing bodies.

_I wanna kiss you, but if I do I might miss you babe. It's complicated and stupid, got my ass squeezed by sexy cupid._

He ignored the girls trying to sidle up and dance with him, not even paying attention to them as they practically slid against him. The attention was thoroughly unwanted, but it couldn't be helped, and telling them to leave would only make them cling more. (Naruto had plenty of experience in that field).

_A love game, a love game._

As a firm hand pressed against his side he thought nothing of it, continuing to dance to the beat as he pleased. He wouldn't let a bunch of horny women ruin his chance to blow off some of his Sasuke-induced frustration.

But when that hand slid down to grip his bottom, Naruto grew rigid. He spun around, fist poised to knock out the drunk bitch who had even dared to touch his buns, when it froze in midair.

"Ma-Madara?" he said, cursing himself and blushing a little when he stuttered nervously.

"Hello Naruto-kun," Madara replied, and Naruto couldn't help his eyes from roaming over the man in his tight black jeans and blood red top. His hair was sexily messy, indicating previous dancing as it hung free from the usual ponytail Naruto saw it in.

Madara's eyes were practically devouring the blond before him. He smirked a little and Naruto felt his feet grow heavy as if glued to where he stood on the dance floor.

"Enjoying a dance?" the raven asked smoothly, and Naruto cursed when his legs wouldn't budge.

"Y-yea," Naruto said, grinning nervously as he attempted to lift himself from Madara's pinning stare.

"I don't suppose you'd care to join me then?" Madara asked, holding out his hand to Naruto.

Naruto studied the hand, and then looked back up to Madara.

"Purely platonic I assure you Naruto-kun," he chuckled, and Naruto smiled a little.

"I guess so..." he said, reaching out his hand to Madara's inviting one. Naruto didn't know exactly what had happened, but the next moment his legs and body were moving to the beat as if nothing had happened, Madara's hands on his hips behind him as they swayed together.

Naruto blinked owlishly, looking over his shoulder to Madara, who just smiled back in a friendly matter.

"_Ok, platonic," _Naruto thought to himself. _"That means just as friends…maybe Madara is just a touchy-feely guy... like Lee…"_ Not wanting to embarrass himself further, Naruto decided to keep his thoughts to himself and just focus on the beat.

_Hold me and love me, just wanna touch you for a minute. Baby three seconds is enough for my heart to quit it._

Naruto pretended that he didn't even feel Madara's right hand move from his waist and wrap around to explore his chest.

_I'm on a mission. And it involves some heavy touchin' yea._

Naruto couldn't help his body from shivering as that wondering hand delved under his tank top and brushed against naked skin. The swaying body behind Naruto pressed against him until they were flush against each other.

_Let's play a love game, play a love game do you want love or you want fame are you in the game?_

Naruto felt star struck as the strobe lights suddenly blasted on full force, the dancing bodies around him mere flashes of neon colors in start-stop motion. Madara simultaneously reached his free hand up and around to tangle his nimble fingers in Naruto's golden locks. Naruto breathed in the enticing musky scent of Madara's own hair as it fell over his shoulder in a sheet of silky ebony.

_I can see you starin' there from across the block with a smile on your mouth and your hand on your—_

"Hey," Madara said huskily into Naruto's ear, his lips brushing against the tan shell tantalizingly. "You look a little hot. Why don't you let me buy you a cold drink?"

Naruto could all but nod at the invitation. It seemed not a moment later when Madara returned with a drink in hand.

Naruto took it gratefully and knocked it back without hesitation. He scrunched his face at the sudden bitterness on his tongue.

"Wh-what is this?" Naruto practically croaked, looking into his half-empty glass for an answer.

"Iced tea," Madara replied, and Naruto rose an eyebrow.

Naruto wasn't exactly the Einstein of the drinking world, so he was naturally confused as to why iced tea would taste so bitter. He was tempted to ask if there was any alcohol in the drink, but he didn't want to sound stupid; it was iced tea!

"Oh…thanks," Naruto said, handing the glass back to Madara.

"Shall we dance some more?" Madara said, setting his glass on a nearby table and offering a hand once more to Naruto.

"Um ok…"

* * *

Late into the night Naruto felt on a high. His head was spinning, his feet were light, and his senses were burning.

How many iced teas had he drunk? He had lost count somewhere along the line…

He couldn't remember when he and Madara had exactly begun dancing, but he knew that they had been doing it for a while.

"I'm going to the bathroom, Naruto," Madara said, and Naruto wobbled a little as he let go of him.

"Ahhhgh!" Naruto whined, clinging to Madara's shirt. "No! If you leave then imma' lone!" Naruto groaned, leaning against Madara. "Don't leave me, 'kay?"

"I'll be back before you know it," Madara said, leading Naruto away from the dance floor and over to a couch on the sidelines.

Naruto scoffed loudly as if it was the most horrible thing in the universe. "'Kay."

* * *

Madara smiled a little to himself as he grabbed his bag from the lockers by the club entrance before entering the bathroom and unlocking a stall.

Things were going better than he could have imagined. He was worried to begin with that the email sent from "Jiraiya" to Naruto earlier in the day hadn't reached him, but to his enjoyment Naruto had strode in through the front doors right on time.

Madara undressed as he pulled a shirt and pair of pants that he had just so happened to borrow from Sasuke while he was staying at his apartment out of the bag, pulling the black shirt over his head quickly; he didn't want to keep Naruto waiting.

He stuffed his old clothes back into the bag before exiting the stall.

He stopped and looked at his reflection.

Madara turned on the faucet in front of him, wetting his hands and using them to spike the end of his hair a little. He knew he wouldn't need to master his cousin's full duck-ass technique; a little water would due for the night.

Madara deposited his bag in one of the lockers once more before heading back to the dance floor.

* * *

Naruto crossed his legs and rested his chin on his open palm as he waited for Madara to come back.

Naruto wasn't sure when he had started loosening up and having some fun, but hell was he! He felt as though before this night he had never truly smelled, tasted, or touched before in his life.

Every pore in his body was absolutely open, and every sound and feeling in the room radiated off of the glow his insides produced.

Naruto almost jumped to his feet as he saw Madara weave through the crowd towards him.

As he came closer Naruto scrunched his eyebrows.

"_Sasuke…?" _As he continued to near Naruto rubbed the heel of his palm against his eyes, clearing away the fuzz in his vision.

"Sasuke!" Naruto grinned as the image before him finally become clear. He ecstatically threw himself at the Uchiha, hugging him tightly.

"Hey Naruto," "Sasuke" said, his voice dripping with sex, and Naruto shivered.

"You dun bein' a asshole?" Naruto pouted a little, and Sasuke smirked, exuding arousal from every fiber of his being.

"I showed up here, didn't I?" Naruto smiled hugely and shook his head rapidly.

"Ah…" he stopped shaking, holding a hand to his head. "Ow…I made myself dizzy."

"I have some aspirin in the car," Sasuke said, and Naruto smiled, this time a little smaller. He leaned forward, resting his weight against the raven as his legs were suddenly drained of life. He sighed deeply.

"Naruto?" Sasuke prodded, and Naruto nuzzled his head against his neck.

"I'm glad you came, teme." Sasuke smirked.

"Let's go."

* * *

Naruto didn't recall getting in any car or driving to a destination, but suddenly he and Sasuke were in bed, mouths firmly glued together and eager hands roaming in a fevered frenzy.

"S'uke," Naruto gasped, his lips leaving the ones above him with a smacking sound as a hand gripped his arousal through his jeans.

He heard a chuckle and looked up at his lover with foggy, glazed eyes. He felt so tired, as if he would nod off at any second, but Sasuke's touches were fire on his body and his eyes were alight in the darkness of the room.

"I'm not sure I've made love to someone so beautiful before," Sasuke said, his hair damp falling around his face from the heat between them.

"Shuddup up teme," Naruto murmured, looking away. He shifted a little. "Ne, Sasuke…how many were there before me?"

"How many what?" Sasuke said, running his fingers along the rim of Naruto's boxers, his shirt and pants already gone.

"You know wha' mm talkin' bout!" Naruto snapped his eyes back to the Uchiha.

"You mean partners?" he said, cocking an eyebrow, and Naruto nodded sheepishly. Sasuke hummed in thought.

"I've had my share. If you're thinking that I lack experience then let me just say now…" He leaned his face his close until his lips barely brushed the blond's. "I'll have you screaming my name by the end of the night."

"Pfft," Naruto threw his head to the side and scoffed though he felt his arousal throb painfully against the Uchiha's hand. "If that's a challenge then I accept, ya teme." With that Naruto viciously pulled down his lover by the neck and engulfed the pale porcelain lips that had been teasing him for weeks.

* * *

**LEMON HERE: : / / kitsunefictions . livejournal 924 . (no spaces)- OR refer to profile page under "lemons".  
**

* * *

"Sasu," Naruto whispered.

"Hm?" Madara said, stroking a hand through the silky buttermilk locks, his high of pleasure overlooking the name.

"He-heavy…" Naruto murmured sheepishly, and Madara chuckled, getting up and walking to the bathroom, returning with a towel.

He wiped the mess off of himself, not bothering with Naruto. He wanted the blond to stay dirty, to know just who was on his stomach, to wake up and know who had been pounding into him the night before. To have physical evidence.

He paused as a gentle hand suddenly cupped his cheek, and his eyes locked with the Naruto's. Sapphire orbs shimmered back in the dark, overflowing with complete bliss and adoration.

The blond's hand dropped as he abruptly fell asleep.

Madara threw aside the towel with a sigh, slipping in beside Naruto, who instinctively clinged to him.

He buried his nose in the sweet smelling golden locks, closing his eyes.

That stare wasn't because of him. It wasn't for him.

It was for Sasuke.

Madara clutched Naruto closely against him, entwining their legs. His cousin was one lucky bastard…

A grin suddenly erupted over Madara's face.

No, _he_ was one lucky bastard now.

* * *

**Ah, how many of you saw it coming? …how many of you want to kill me now? 'Kay, I'm gonna go into my prepared bomb shelter…**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**


	17. Beautiful Lie

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None! **

**2nd Disclaimer: I don't own any songs mentioned in this fic! **

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Alas, my last-second bomb shelter almost didn't make it…you guys are fierce! But for good reason, I should say. I spent this chapter re-building my shelter with some stronger material, because the torture isn't over yet my lovelies, I'm sorry. In the real world, things are a regular shit storm. So much sadness right now...  
**

…**..this plea falls on deaf ears but don't kill me. Because then I can't finish the chapter to come…**

**Oh the reviews made me smile, scary as they were! And I could really use those smiles right now...thank you everyone, sincerely!**

**.**

* * *

**.  
**

**Chapter Seventeen: Beautiful Lie  
**

**.**

**.**

Naruto stretched as he turned over in bed, sighing happily as his muscles flexed. He buried his head in a pillow, reaching out for the warm body beside him.

…_beside_ him.

Naruto huffed a little. "S'ukeeeee," he whined, refusing to open his eyes as his hand searched the bed.

"Ohayo, Naruto-kun," a voice that was very much _not_ Sasuke said, and Naruto's eye shot open.

Madara stood with a white towel tied around his waist, his long black hair wet down his pale back and sticking to his neck. He smiled good naturedly at Naruto. "Sleep well?"

"What?" Naruto said, feeling completely disoriented. He sat up in bed and immediately collapsed as his top and bottom ached. His head was woozy and he felt slightly nauseous, a searing pain splitting up from his hindquarters to his back when he moved.

"Wha…" He put a hand to his hot forehead. "What happened last night? I thought….Sasuke…"

"I'm not sure what you're talking about," Madara said, laughing a little as he sat on the bed. He reached down, tipping Naruto's chin up, and kissed him deeply.

Madara was already expecting the immediate shove and gasp from the blond, blue eyes wide and terribly confused.

"Ma-Madara! What the hell!?" he snapped, and Madara frowned.

"You don't remember any of it?" he said in mock hurt, and Naruto glared at him.

"'It'? What the hell is 'it'?" There was a thick silence between the two of them, before Naruto's hand suddenly slapped over his mouth, eyes wide with horror.

"No, we…we didn't, you and I? I mean that was with Sasuke I-I did that with Sas…" Naruto's voice died out as Madara stared at him sternly.

He furrowed his eyebrows and crossed his legs.

"Yes, we had sex, and you wanted to. You seemed to enjoy yourself, as did I." He raised an eyebrow. "Are you telling me now that you regret it?"

"Yes! I mean no that's not how I—" Naruto's hands were gripping his hair down to the root, his eyes sharp yet flustered. "I…I was—I thought—"

"That I was someone else? A lover?" Madara murmured quietly. He closed his eyes, sighed deeply, and flashed the blond a bitter smile. "It's alright, Naruto."

Naruto was panting quickly as he fisted the sheets, staring at man he had had sex with the night before, mouth slightly agape.

"I'm sure if you just explain the situation to your lover, they'll understand," he said gently.

"But…but how?" Naruto flopped onto the pillows in misery. "What happened to me? Was I drunk?"

Madara shrugged. "I didn't see you drink anything alcoholic, but then again I don't know how long you were at the club before I found you. So you may very well have been."

Naruto grimaced up at the ceiling. "I'm so fucked."

"If your lover really cares then they'll forgive you," Madara said, setting the scene up. He reached a hand over and carded it through Naruto's weightless blond hair. Naruto flinched at the contact, and Madara reeled his hand back.

"Sorry…" he said quietly. At that very moment when Naruto looked at him with the most guilty, saddened eyes, Madara knew that his acting was superb.

…although he did admit that Naruto had grown on him, and he wished that the blond would be happy with him instead of his lesser cousin.

He would be soon anyways.

"No…I'm sorry," Naruto sighed. "I've put you and my lover in a terrible situation. I'll…I'll make this right." Naruto's sapphire eyes looked up to Madara's gentle gaze before they turned away, Naruto groaning in pain as he gathered his clothing and began to dress.

Madara walked into his closet, pulling on a pair of black boxers and jeans and grabbing a pack of cigarette and lighter on the nightstand. He walked to the entrance of his suite where Naruto was putting on his shoes, tapping out a cigarette and lighting up. He couldn't help but hide a small smirk as the blond's nervous fingers fumbled with his shoe laces.

Naruto stood, locking eyes with the brunette again, and Madara knew it was time for the final pull.

"Naruto-kun, I know that after today I might not see you again, so…" He bit his lip a little, some smoke wavering between his them. "Can I kiss you? One last time?"

Naruto's eyes reflected his confliction as he looked down to his shoes, before nodding slightly.

"Yea…"

Madara stepped forward, discarding his cigarette in favor of something much more addictive. With two hands he cupped Naruto's face, shared a gaze with him, and delivered the most passionate, the most bottomless and sincere kiss in his entire life. If anything he wanted Naruto to remember this last kiss, this last moment of electricity between them.

That however was something that Madara could never fake or act out; there was no denying that when their lips met, something undoubtedly happened—sparks flew.

Naruto's eyes rolled back. He almost became limp and would have collapsed if not for the steadying hand on his back. A shudder ran through him as memories of the previous night's passion flooded his mind, and he found his hands gripping Madara's shoulders tightly. He tasted like fresh mint and nicotine, a combination he was sure he wouldn't soon forget.

Something snapped inside as Naruto suddenly came to his senses and pushed Madara away, wiping his lips furiously with his sleeve. "I-I'm sorry…I—"

"It's nothing," Madara sighed, tapping out a new cigarette. He leaned heavily against the entrance way, silent. What else could he say after the most amazing kiss of his life? Perhaps he and Naruto were meant—

"I'll see you soon," Naruto said, and Madara was only able to stare as the door to his room closed. His eyes shifted to his cigarette, the bubbly flavor of Naruto still on his tongue.

* * *

The moment he knocked on the door Naruto found himself taken in a death grip by his collar and yanked inside Sasuke's apartment harshly.

"Where the hell have you been!?" Sasuke shouted at his face, and Naruto blinked several times, assessing the raven. His hair was a mess compared to his particular style where normally not a single lock was out of place, his pale skin flushed from neck to cheek, black eyes almost crazed. Naruto was surprised to see the heavy dark circles under his lover's eyes.

Had…he been worried? Actually concerned?

"Say something, dobe! I was up all night over you and nobody knew where you were! You have no idea of how close I was to calling Jiraiya and freaking out!" Sasuke screamed, before pulling the blond into a fierce kiss. Naruto did all he could to keep his knees from buckling, hissing as Sasuke bit his lip in frustration, and then groaned as he tenderly licked the pain away. He gripped Naruto's shoulders forcefully, but all the blond could feel was the desperation and relief beyond his lover's passionate kissing.

Sasuke didn't let him go until Naruto thought he would pass out from oxygen deprivation. They parted with a sharp smack, panting as their forehead's rested together, Sasuke's hands that once gripped Naruto's shoulders strongly suddenly gentle.

"I was scared," Sasuke murmured, and Naruto closed his eyes. He couldn't stand to hear anymore. He felt like filth—no, worse than filth at that moment. While Sasuke had been up in the late hours of the night distressing over him, he had been in another man's bed, enjoying himself.

He felt so dirty.

"Sasuke, I…" No, he had to do this right. Naruto looked up into the relieved coal eyes of his lover, placed his hands on the broad shoulders…and pushed him away at arm's length

"I…" Naruto exhaled firmly and stared Sasuke straight in the eye.

"I want to break up."

* * *

Jiraiya choked a little as he spit his wine out and it spewed at least three feet across the room, decorating the carpet.

"He _what!?_" the man practically screamed, slamming his hands on his desk and standing.

Pein sat across from him, smiling contentedly in his seat though spots of red wine flecked his jacket here and there.

"Yes, it is surprising to me as well, but I couldn't be happier with the outcome."

Jiraiya's eyes rolled up to the ceiling before he crumpled back into his leather seat.

"H-how?"

Pein shrugged with a knowing smile. "I'm not entirely sure myself. Perhaps Naruto-kun further assessed my offer?"

"But Gaara-san…he wouldn't just leave him?" Jiraiya blinked owlishly at the young billionaire.

"Naruto-kun explained that the circumstances were extenuating and Sabaku-san bought him out of his contract with Sungakure Studios immediately." Pein reached forward and grabbed the bottle of wine, refilling a dazed Jiraiya's glass and one for himself. "So starting today Naruto-kun will be our new star model. There is much to celebrate, Jiraiya-san.

Pein smiled and held up his glass.

"To good business," he said, waiting expectantly. JIraiya suddenly fumbled for his glass and clanked it gently against the redhead's.

"To good business…"

* * *

Naruto patted Lee on the head gently like some sort of dog as he cried and clung to him. Gai pulled his student away, his eyes a running faucet as he shook Naruto's hand until the blond thought his arm would fall off.

Naruto held his portfolio tightly to his chest as he walked through the entrance way to Sungakure Studios. Garra was waiting outside for him, his hands behind his back, ever the business man.

He turned as Naruto approached, and they locked eyes for a moment.

"I don't need to know everything now..." Gaara said, his voice soft. He sighed. "It won't be the same, but we'll survive."

"Gaara…" Naruto looked down to the sidewalk, too cowardly to face his friend, to witness his own betrayal.

A hand clapped him on the shoulder and Naruto looked back up into his friend's stern yet concerned face. There weren't any more words exchanged—their eyes had a silent way of communicating that their mouths were inept to.

Their stare broke as a black sports car rolled up, and Madara stepped out, walking around to stand at Naruto's side.

"You all set, Naruto-kun?" he said, tapping off the end off of his cigarette, the strong afternoon sunlight glinting off his sharp designer sunglasses. Naruto nodded as the man wove a hand around his waist and kissed the side of his neck.

Gaara narrowed his eyes to the man as Naruto ducked away into the car with a quiet, "Sumimasen…" The redhead took two steps towards Madara until they were less than an inch apart.

"You hurt him, and I'll kill you," he breathed, and the raven smirked.

"Now why would I damage what belongs to me?" He raised a surprised eyebrow as the redhead suddenly fisted the collar of his shirt fiercely.

"I don't know what kind of game you're playing here, but I know that Pein is involved." Emerald eyes narrow to slits. "It is only for Naruto's sake that I am not calling security to taze you up the ass right now."

"Oh, kinky," Madara grinned. The grin stayed on his face as he walked around to the driver's seat, hopped in the car, and Gaara watched with concern as it disappeared down the road.

* * *

"Ah, this is great, ne Naruto-kun?" Madara said, the smile from earlier still on his face as he drove, the windows down to let in the warm, breezy day. "This time next week you will be Akatsuki's star model and we'll always be together from now on." Madara couldn't have lowered his happy tone if he had wanted to; he had never smiled so genuinely or felt so light in his entire life. He wasn't acting anymore—what he felt was real.

"Ah, yea," Naruto said wistfully. He turned as they stopped at a red light and stole the cigarette Madara was about to bring to his lips.

"Hey," Madara chuckled as Naruto took a deep drag, coughing a little on his exhale. Naruto smiled sheepishly back at him, putting the brunette at ease. "Oi, don't take in so much at once, yea?" He plucked the cigarette from between the blond's fingers. "And don't pick up my dirty habits."

"I like the smell," Naruto said, looking down at the portfolio in his lap. "It smells like you, is all." Cigarette smoke. He had always hated it…what changed?

Naruto gasped a little as Madara suddenly turned the blond's head to the side and kissed him deeply.

"Don't say such arousing things," he murmured as they parted, and the light turned green. There was a brief silence between them where Naruto just felt the wind in his hair and tried to forget everything.

"Naruto-kun…why me?"

Naruto looked over to Madara at the serious tone in his voice.

"Why?" he repeated back.

"You chose me, right? Why?" Madara said firmly, eyes on the road, and Naruto looked down at the portfolio on his lap.

"I love you," Naruto said, and he gasped as the car suddenly screeched to a halt on the side of the road, the car in park, and Madara turned to him sharply.

"No you don't," he said, pushing his sunglasses on top of his head. "And if that's the reason you're telling yourself why you're with me, then you shouldn't even be sitting here next to me." What the hell was he doing!? He had the prize, he had won, it was over; why did he care so damn much about this?

Naruto's eyes flickered up to him, and Madara instantly knew why.

Because he didn't win Naruto's heart…and he wanted it.

"I don't feel like I can go back to Sasuke," Naruto sighed truthfully. "It's not that I don't think he would understand or forgive me but…but I couldn't forgive myself for doing that to him. I think that this way will cause him the least amount of trouble. Moving away from Sungakure will assure that we never need to see each other again through work."

Madara leaned over and gently tilted Naruto's chin up.

"That's better than what you said before, because it's the truth," he said. "But I will make your previous statement true. I want you to fall for me, because I swear to god every time you look at me I fall deeper for you." He grazed his lips against the blond's gently. "But I also want you to let me…let me love you, and maybe you'll love me too." He planted several small, feathery kisses on Naruto's lips, each touch like a burst of static against him.

Madara paused, assessing the blond's face, and he smiled widely as Naruto slowly nodded, even if only a little.

He leaned back to put the car in drive when his neck was suddenly seized and pulled down for a deep, sweet kiss. His eyes rolled back as Naruto lapped at his lips gently.

"I can't promise anything," the blond breathed between them, continuing to kiss Madara. "But I'll try…I owe you that much." Naruto smiled weakly at him and Madra pulled him into a tight embrace.

"I'm a lucky guy."

* * *

"This is Madara," Naruto said albeit quietly. He gave the man's hand a squeeze. "…my lover."

Jiraiya's eyebrows shot up high. "I…see," he said. He leaned forward in his chair, placing his hands on his desk, and looked to the raven. "Madara; you work as a model for Akatsuki, correct?"

"Yes sir," Madara said politely, keeping a firm grip on Naruto's hand. Jiraiya crossed his arms.

"If you know anything about Naruto then you should be aware that I like to keep his media exposure as discreet as possible in terms of relationships."

Madara raised an eyebrow at the man's hostility, Naruto looking away the entire time.

"Do you find it shameful for two men to be together, Jiraiya-san?"

Jiraiya unlocked his arms and shook his head. "No, that's not it at all. The media eats up Naruto like candy, something that you should have experience with. I want to protect him as much as possible."

"Wouldn't it be beneficial to Naruto-kun's career to be seen in a relationship with another model of his caliber?"

Jiraiya paused. "…it would either tank his career or boost it tremendously. I'm not sure if I want to take the risk."

"Take no offense Jiraiya-san, when I say that I will not go out of my way to hide my love for your son, but neither embellish it." Madara slipped an arm around the blond's waist, pulling his close, and Naruto blushed a little. "If I am out with Naruto-kun I will not stop holding his hand because of the media, and I will not hide my affection."

Naruto raised an eyebrow at his new lover's serious tone.

"I intend to love Naruto as I wish, without care of criticism."

Jiraiya looked taken aback, and Naruto couldn't help but feel important as Madara held him close and stood up against his father, something that Sasuke had never had the gumption (or foolishness) to do. Naruto had always wanted a normal relationship that he didn't have to hide, but Jiraiya would never—

"Fine."

Ever—

"..huh?" Naruto said, dumbstruck. His father smiled at him and shrugged.

"If being away from you has taught me anything, it's that you aren't a child anymore. Even though I am your manager I'm also your father. Some slack on the reins is necessary." He whipped his gaze over to Madara. "But if I see _any_ indecent exposure in the public papers there _will_ be repercussions. Understood?"

"Indeed," Madara said, slipping a smile down to Naruto, who couldn't help but feel warm inside at the thought of an uncensored relationship, something he had always dreamed of with Sasuke.

His smile faded a little.

Sasuke…he had probably forgotten about him already.

Naruto leaned up on his toes and gave Madara a quick peck on the cheek, to which his father rolled his eyes and Madara smiled sweetly back.

But that was ok. He had someone else, and Sasuke probably would soon too.

* * *

**In the next chapter we hear things on Sasuke's end...but my my, Madara is doing things that Sasuke didn't-even standing up to Jiraiya! Hm does this make him more fit for Naruto? Is this how things should be for the better!? Share your thoughts!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**


End file.
